Instagram Info.
Since I am not an Instagram user, I found this information very helpful. I
also think that with my new knowledge, I can do a better job of
discussing this type of social media with my students. In hopes that this
would be helpful to you, I’d like to share some of this blog post.
Note:
This blog is by a 25 year old mother who volunteers with her church
youth group and was working with some 8th grade girls. Here is a link
to the original blog post, in case you would rather read it directly from
the source with instagram screenshots included:
http://taylorandsarahbrooks.blogspot.com/2013/04/parents-wordabout-instagram.html
The following are excerpts from the blog post on Instagram and the way
kids are using it:
I'm sure you're aware of Instagram if your kids are on it, but if not, here's a
rundown of the app:
1. Your child gets an account and starts following other users.
2. In return, other users follow your child.
3. Your child posts a picture to his or her account.
4. Other users comment or "like" the picture.
5. Repeat. 87 times a day.
Think back to when you were in junior high. How did you know you were
"cool"? A popular girl probably wrote you a note and put it in your locker or
asked you to sit with her at lunch, right? There were a few eyewitnesses and
it was pure joy.
Do you remember back-to-school shopping? You bought the trendiest new
shirts and shoes. But how did you know if your new shirt was cute?
Someone told you, probably. How did you know if your new shirt was
hideous? Again, someone probably told you. Or made fun of you, but luckily
it was just between you and that person. Or - worst case scenario - between
you and that person and their posse. Still, not life altering.
That was then.
This is now:
Your middle schooler buys a new shirt and what's the first thing she does?
Takes a selfie (self-portrait, for those out of the loop) and posts it on
Instagram.
Ok, so not a big deal, this is how the world is. Your kids feel the need to
share every single decision they ever make with the world at large. It's just
"kids these days".
It's true. It is "kids these days". But does the feedback they receive on
Instagram impact them? Do you think they base their identity in it?
What happens when your daughter's new shirt picture didn't get as many
"likes" or comments as the picture her friend posted of her new shirt?
Do you think she even cares about that stuff?
Yea, I'd say so. Your sons do, too.
[Side note: don't forget to read what your kids post in the hashtags of their
photos. (That's the # sign with a bunch of words crammed after it, like
#40likesplease.) They use it as an aside comment, which, parents, is just as
important to pay attention to as the photo caption.]
We're no longer in world of handwritten "circle yes or no" notes between
two people; your kids are living social lives on a completely public forum.
This is not new information.
But, taking it a step further: have you considered that your child is
given numerical values on which to base his or her social standing? For the
first time ever your children can determine their "worth" using actual
numbers provided by their peers!
Let me explain...
Your daughter has 139 followers which is 23 less than Jessica, but 56 more
than Beau. Your son's photo had 38 likes which was 14 less than Travis'
photo, but 22 more than Spencer's.
See what I mean? There's a number attached to them. A ranking.
Do you see what's happening? #3newfollowers, #77likes #i#am#so#popular,
#morefollowersplease
They're definitely paying attention. And it's definitely affecting them.
It's not just about assumed popularity anymore. It's explicit. It's quantifiable.
At arguably the most awkward time in their lives, a crucial time of
development when they are trying to figure out who they are and where they
belong, this is what they're up against. A quantifiable popularity ranking.
In talking to our girls, I was blown away by their responses:
They know exactly - to the digit - how many followers they have (and who
they follow that isn't following them back). They get their feelings hurt
when the popular kids "like" the pictures above and below theirs on the
Instagram newsfeed, but not their picture. They delete pictures of themselves
when they don't get as many likes as they were hoping for. They don't get
invited to parties, but see all the fun they missed out on in every photo
posted from it. They post ugly pictures of their friends to get revenge for
some heinous act they committed (like saying Louis is their favorite One
Direction member).
Whoa.
Before we all freak out and delete Instagram and all other social apps, may I
just say (with approximately zero authority or expertise on the subject):
This is no cause for mass hysteria. My intent is not to scare you away from
these sites, because I don't think the solution is to write them off entirely.
This is a part of your kids' communication that is here to stay. (I don't just
mean Instagram - it could die tomorrow. But social media? It's here for
good, in some form or fashion.)
Remember: social media can be SO FUN. (I know you love you some
Pinterest, girl.)
Plus, not all kids are the same. Some place an unhealthy amount of self
worth in their social media accounts, some could care less about it.
Regardless, it's important to think about no matter where your children fall
on the spectrum.
My intent is to dig a little deeper into the impact these sites can have on your
kids. To start thinking about how to safeguard childrens' hearts and minds
against what appears to a 12 year old to be concrete numerical evidence
about their value and popularity.
How do you regulate activity on these sites while keeping it fun for your
kids? How do you talk to them about the numbers (likes, comments,
followers) provided by their peers not being an accurate representation of
their value and worth?
I can tell you what we talked about with our 8th grade friends:
We talked about posting photos of things other than themselves, to avoid
setting themselves up for insecurity about their appearance.
What we said isn't really important. What's important is where you come in,
parents. You know your kids and you know the insecurities they face.
I hope this information is helpful for you, or at least gets you thinking.
I love your kids so, so much and I want them to know just how special and
wonderful and unique they are. I don't want a stupid thing like followers and
likes to tell them any differently.