by Ivano Zoppi
general secretary of the Carolina Foundation
No more filters on social media! Just when Meta and the world of online communication is questioning the DEI agenda (the programs diversity equity And inclusion), as well as the role of fact checking in the management and publication of content and opinions spread via social media, a bolt from the blue comes from the USA! These are not electrically charged humanoids, nor cyborgs cooking macrobiotically, but something capable of marking an era. No more filters to improve or change your appearance on social media!
In a climate in which the great web giants are in transformation and are updating their positioning in the debate between freedom of opinion and protection of community rights, the filters to appear safer and more successful on our social networks are causing the most sensation!
In reality, once the outcry that usually accompanies a drastic change of direction has passed, as the Carolina Foundation we feel like sharing, or in any case approving, this choice. The benefits, starting from the new generations, are evident:
1. Impact on young people’s mental health:
* Reduction of negative social comparison: The elimination of beauty filters can reduce the tendency of young people to constantly compare themselves with unrealistic images, thus reducing anxiety and depression related to physical appearance;
* Improved self-esteem: Seeing more authentic representations online can help young people better accept their natural appearance, promoting greater self-esteem;
* Decreased FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): With fewer “perfect” images, young people may feel less excluded or inadequate compared to the seemingly ideal lives displayed on social media;
2. Reduction of social pressure linked to unrealistic beauty standards:
* Promoting diversity: Without filters that homogenize appearance, a greater variety of beauty types will emerge, celebrating natural diversity;
* Deconstruction of unrealistic ideals: The absence of advanced filters like “Bold Glamour” will help dismantle unattainable and harmful beauty standards;
* Reality vs Fiction Education: This move can spark important conversations about the difference between reality and digitally manipulated images;
3. Promotion of a more positive body image:
* Self-acceptance: Seeing more unfiltered images can encourage young people to accept their own unique characteristics;
* Reduction of eating disorders: A more realistic representation of bodies can help reduce the pressure that leads to disordered eating behaviors;
* Empowerment: Showing yourself without filters can become an act of empowerment, encouraging young people to enhance their authenticity;
The fact remains that the panic generated by this decision makes us understand on the one hand how much we are conditioned by the storytelling of social media, and on the other that that same online dimension where we relate is less free than one might imagine.
