Blog post #3: Samantha Miller

Within every social media platform is a sense of the unknown and inability to distinguish between what's real and what is fake. It is very simple for people to only portray certain aspects of their lives in order to glorify their lifestyle and seem influential. Most popular social media influencers utilize the ability to manipulate what the public sees on social media in order to make themselves seem more likeable to their followers. This relates to Baym's discussion of "mediated interaction" in Chapter 1, explaining how posts to social media do not convey enough information to know the truth behind someones lifestyle as opposed to what they want the public to see (Baym, 2016). Similar to many others in modern society, I have experienced this many times within my use of social media. One specific time was when I was looking up workout routines on TikTok to build muscle. I came across an influencers account who claimed she was able to gain 10 pounds of pure muscle after completing this workout for less than 2 weeks. Not only is this physically impossible to do naturally, but it is also proof that people can portray themselves and their lifestyles however they want on the internet and leave out certain parts that show their imperfections. Another example that demonstrates this concept is a video I came across on YouTube, discussing how Oprah was falsely advertising her use of Weight Watchers to help her lose weight, when she used a drug all along. This is a great example of how influential figures can portray their lifestyles however they wish while leaving out certain details, thus hiding the truth. 

The video link is as follows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg3UqIDQccc

Have any of you ever experienced something similar on social media? 


References:

Baym, N. K. (2016). Personal connections in the digital age. Choice Reviews Online, 53(09), 1–

56. https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.194329


Comments

  1. Dante TestaniApril 1, 2024 at 1:01 PM

    Hi Samantha,

    First off, great post this week. Regarding personal experiences, I have come across numerous exaggerated or deceptive content on social media. One example that stands out is those TikTok accounts that post fake fitness advice. I remember seeing a TikTok video explaining how you can lose a lot of weight by drinking water mixed with lemon and ginger (or something along those lines). The video was paired with a doctor who had a crappy voiceover on him. In my opinion, it's important to be skeptical when looking for trustworthy information when it comes to advertising by influential people or overstated claims about fitness tips.

    ReplyDelete

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