Mary McGill: Unsocial media and the dark side of Instagram

New data shows the negative impact Insta can have on girls. It's time to rethink our relationship with the social media site

Generations of girls compared themselves to the stars they saw in movies and magazines. But appearing in the same media as the stars, via our own social posts, can amplify self-criticism and lead to low self-esteem. Stock picture

Being a teenage girl has never been easy and the digital age has added a further raft of complications. Chief among these is social media, a space that is supposedly about connectedness, sharing, and fun. But, as we are quickly discovering, the reality is far more complex.

Instagram is one of the most popular social media sites for young women worldwide. Launched in 2010 as a humble photo-sharing platform (one of many at that time) it quickly rose to cultural prominence, transforming how we photograph our lives. This process kicked up a gear in 2012, when Facebook bought the company. Instagram now has 1 billion users globally, 1.8m of whom are in Ireland.