On November 2nd, 2015, Instagram model Essena O'Neill uploaded a video titled, "Why I REALLY am quitting social media - The Truth" to her YouTube channel. Essena explains that she has deleted her Snapchat and Tumblr, and that she has edited her remaining Instagram posts to explain the "truth" behind the staged nature of the photos. She insists that social media "in its current form" is "fake" and detrimental to the self esteem of teens and that it consumed her life since the age of twelve.

Above, one of her recently edited Instagram posts shows some of the reasons Essena has chosen to step off social media. She claims that the staged and contrived nature of this photo and the fact that she would have taken over a hundred similar pictures trying to get one that she thought was decent, means that the image portrays a view that is "NOT REAL LIFE." She also alludes to the fact that she had been restricting her diet in order to control her weight for photos on Instagram, another reason, she claims, that social media is harming teens.

In this picture, Essena again makes the point that her need (or, "addiction" as she calls it) for approval on social media caused her to take up unhealthy habits like overexercising and calorie restricting. She even goes so far as to say that those addicted to social media are "not in a conscious state," stressing her loss of control over her self worth in connection to being "liked" and "followed" on social media.

In this last picture, Essena attacks the system of paid promotion on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. She says that since the dress was not ethically manufactured, there was no point in posting the photo other than to be paid for promoting the dress.

All of these points contributed to Essena feeling like a fake on her social media platforms, and led her to believe that the system of instant gratification that comes from being "liked" and "followed" online should be done away with. Because of the power she placed in the approval of others, she claims that her life was consumed by trying to be loved online.

Although I understand where Essena is coming from, I disagree with her total strike of social media. I completely respect Essena's decision to remove herself from social media, as her relationship with it seemed largely unhealthy. However, I do not think that every person who uses social media is portraying a fake life or ruining their self-esteem.

I also don't see anything wrong with paid promotion as long as it is disclosed in a caption. If a person I follow wore a pretty dress, I saw it, and subsequently bought it because I thought it was pretty, what would be wrong with the original poster getting some money? It's not like she forced me to buy the dress. Advertising through Instagram is just like any other type of advertising.

I agree with Essena that the pressures of social media can sometimes have negative effects on people. The feeling like you always need to post something on your online highlight reel can be demanding. However, social media can also be rewarding and inspiring. It can be used to incite political revolution like in the Arab Spring of 2011, or unite people under a common cause such as with the #BlackLivesMatter or #Ferguson campaigns that started in August of 2014 and are still continuing today. On a more personal level, social media introduced me to some of the most fun and important things in my life, like makeup and feminism.

In conclusion, while Essena's decision to quit social media made sense for her, I don't think that social media is evil or terrible for everyone. I would encourage those who are confused about the merits/disadvantages of social media to examine their motive behind using it. If you are using it like Essena was, only to prove your own self-worth, perhaps its time to take a break. If you're just having fun and making a scrapbook of some happy moments in your life, then it's fine to keep it up!