Social Media: What's Real?
- Susie Csorsz Brown
- 13 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Social media is such a beast. Not only can we not tell if something written was AI-generated, but also we can't tell what someone really looks like, what (if anything) might have been changed about their face. Or their voice. Or their appearance. What's real, what's not? No wonder young people are struggling with mental health!
Listen, you and I, we are smart, discerning, capable and skilled adults who have had a lifetime of experiences interacting with other people. We know how to talk to other people, we know how to listen. We know how to read a room. We know people. And, maybe more importantly, we are no longer heavily dependent on or worried about what others think about us, or trying to impress people. We are good with ourselves, comfortable with our quirks, and confident that we are enough. And here we are, even us smart, discerning, capable people not able to tell what is real and what is not, and comparing ourselves to what we see on social media, and wondering about how we compare. Freaking AI.
The thing is, AI is not all bad, and I am not at all saying that you should avoid it at all costs. In fact, I would argue it is far better to lean in, and get as comfortable and well-versed as you can because your kids are already leaps and bounds ahead of you. Being online is not inherently bad just by virtue of it being online. But this is a topic for another day. I want to focus instead on how this thin veneer of gloss that AI brings to the social media table is impacting our young people.
The average teenage girl spends 5.3 hours EACH DAY on social media. Average boy? 4.4 hours. What could they possibly be doing for that many hours each day? Remember, these platforms are so much more than just clips and reels. Teenagers are especially social, heavily reliant on connection with friends (or people they view as friends) and oftentimes these platforms offer a quick and easy way to connect with people they view as their peers. The problems start building when we add on the outside influences and unrealness aspects of all of the images they consume during these hours. And even more so when we consider that as of this past fall, significant changes were made in what is and is not allowed on social media platforms, and filtered images are far more the norm than ever before. It’s now possible to become anyone, saying anything. only discerning experts might be able to detect what the original image or sound was. A user can change their appearance and can even adjust their voice. Listen, now with these parameters, when it is possible to be anyone on the internet, then truth becomes more malleable. We are being maneuvered by the bots that once upon a time simply answered funny simple inquiries.
What changed?
Recently, studies show that 80% of the social media content recommended for your next click is AI-generated. That means that what you like, read, and spend time on determines what is going to be suggested for you. Sure, this tailors the information you have to fit your interest, but it also very deliberately feeds you specific information. You know when to stop clicking. Does your child?
More than 70% of the images seen on social media are created or enhanced by AI.
Even LinkedIn is not immune: more than 55% of the long-form discussions and posts on LinkedIn are AI created. On Reddit, 13% of the posts are AI-generated.
Some platforms require labeling for AI-created content. Sadly, not all platforms are following that example. Can you tell the difference between what is and is not "enhanced?" What are filters changing? Skin tone, face shape, nose shape, hair texture, stray hairs, background, softening light, adding or erasing make-up, contouring body shape ... with one click, you can look completely or subtly different. Filters change you and your uniqueness to conform to what is currently perceived as acceptable or attractive. They don't allow you to be you. What is really amazing about social media and filters, is people know what changes these filters can make in appearances; even knowing this, they click through the images of those people they follow and they still want to be more like that instead of like themselves. As long as low self-esteem is luctrative, as long as social media platforms can continue to make revenue on these beauty filters, they will continue to rule amongst the images we see online. As companies continue to profit from making people feel less than attractive, continue to fan the flames of body dysmorphia and other insecurities, we will not see less of these AI-generated images.
What's real, and what's not?
What I know for sure is that if someone is hating on you because you have dimples or freckles or a face contour that they don't admire, that has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with them. What you see on social media is dictated completely by you and what you follow and click. Best way to improve what you see? Improve what you click on. Your timeline and your reel are yours; don't measure your life against another's. Focus on what is best about you and yours. As long as you are alive, it is not too late to rewrite your story. How do we help our young people see this too? Perfect photos do not exist. Perfect people do not exist. We are all a motley collection of ingredients, not all of which are deemed to be "perfect" or even acceptable by some; the number of likes, shares or retweets that we get don't even factor, though, on our actual humanness. How we see ourself is so much more important than how we'd like others to see us. Self-worth is the answer; no amount of editing or retouching should affect our worth.
Listen, we really want to be aware of and accepting of the complex emotional state that our kids are living in so that we can remain in sync with them. Have these conversations with your kids. Explore what is and is not human-created. Together, look at some of the articles that build skills for determining real images from those created by AI. Part of the steps we can take to support our kids -- and us -- is building skills in recognizing beauty filters, what they do and how they perpetuate a myth that is "beauty" and instead take necessary steps to cultivate a healthy self image, not just online but in real life as well. By helping our kids embrace and promote authenticity and self-acceptance, we can push back against the unrealistic standards perpetuated by social media. Parents, please have the conversations with your kids about what is and is not real, so they too can better understand that what they see and do is so much better than what they see on social media.
In addition, we can actively support platforms that promote body positivity and diversity and those that are leaders in honest imagery (read: note when images used are AI-generated or real), and actively demand more stringent policies about image editing and filtering.
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