Why is there a need for Public Policy Change?
“Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder,” yet this notion is fading in the face of uniform beauty standards that prevail today. How can the thin, size-zero figure be deemed beautiful for everyone? We have become conditioned to accept the beauty ideals imposed upon us by the media. Young individuals are particularly affected, as they grow up surrounded by trends, magazines, and social media posts showcasing the so-called ‘perfect’ bodies of models. This creates a narrow definition of beauty, leading the younger generation to feel pressured to conform to these unspoken expectations.
Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954) posits that individuals assess themselves by comparing themselves to others. When young people are exposed to unrealistic ideals, such as Photoshopped models and sculpted athletes, they often internalize these standards, which can result in feelings of shame and body dysmorphia.
The Impact of Media Standards on Mental Health
The significance of self-image acceptance cannot be overstated. Embracing happiness as we are is vital. Research indicates that exposure to media promoting the thin-ideal body is linked to increased body dissatisfaction leading to a higher risk of eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia (Carson, 2025).
Adolescents who engage with image-based platforms, such as Instagram and Snapchat, for more than two hours per day exhibit a 62% increased likelihood of experiencing symptoms associated with eating disorders (Holland & Tiggemann, 2016).
Anorexia is the most lethal of all mental disorders. The effects of anorexia have been tragically illustrated in the cases of influencers such as Eugenia Cooney and Liv Schmidt (Carson, 2025).
Cognitive Immaturity and Media Literacy
Young individuals often lack the media literacy needed to assess unrealistic ideals critically. Children frequently interpret advertisements at face value, thinking that they are perfect. Although abstract thinking begins to emerge during this stage, self-criticism often overshadows logic, prompting them to wonder, “Why don’t I look like that?”. Additionally, children do not recognize that images are manipulated through Photoshop, viewing them as authentic representations. Even adolescents aged 11 to 14 commonly underestimate the degree of editing present in these images (Wright et al., 2018).
Social Media Influence on Body Dissatisfaction
Research shows that browsing on Instagram was associated with lower levels of body appreciation, fully mediated by upward social comparison with social media influencers. Moreover, just 5 to 10 minutes of exposure to “attractive” posts on Instagram has been shown to decrease body satisfaction among young women (Pedalino, 2022). Additionally, those who spent considerable time on the Facebook platform indicated a more negative mood due to comparison. The validation obtained through likes and comments further reinforces these unrealistic beauty ideals (Fardouly et al., 2015).
Social Acceptance and Body Dissatisfaction
Adolescents, naturally inclined to seek social acceptance, are especially vulnerable to beauty standards propagated by the media. Research indicates that teens aged 14 to 18 exhibit heightened activity in brain regions associated with social rewards, such as the ventral striatum, in response to peer approval, compared to adults (Steinberg & Monahan, 2007).
Proposed Solutions
Much like the restrictions placed on cigarette advertisements aimed at young people, there should be regulations applied to industries that profit from body insecurity, provided there is still space for individual freedom. Potential policy changes could include the regulation of targeted advertisements (projecting body insecurities), mandated media literacy programs in schools, and the promotion of body diversity in children’s media, such as Disney’s portrayal of body-positive characters. The need for public interventions is essential to raise awareness about the posting practices of social media influencers and to foster a positive body image among young people who are vulnerable to social comparison processes (Pedalino, 2022).
References
Carson, S. H. (2025, July 07). Psychopathology [lecture recording], Canvas. https://canvas.harvard.edu/
Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7, 117–140. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872675400700202
Holland G, Tiggemann M. A systematic review of the impact of the use of social networking sites on body image and disordered eating outcomes. Body Image. 2016 Jun;17:100-10. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.02.008. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26995158/
Wright, Peter & Friestad, Marian & Boush, David. (2005). The Development of Marketplace Persuasion Knowledge in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing. 24. 222-233. http://dx.doi.org/10.1509/jppm.2005.24.2.222
Steinberg L, Monahan KC. Age differences in resistance to peer influence. Dev Psychol. 2007 Nov;43(6):1531-1543. doi: 10.1037/0012-1649.43.6.1531. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2779518/
Fardouly, Jasmine, Diedrichs, Phillippa C., Vartanian, Lenny R., Halliwell, Emma. Social comparisons on social media: The impact of Facebook on young women’s body image concerns and mood. Body Image, Volume 13, 2015, Pages 38-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.12.002
Pedalino F, Camerini AL. Instagram Use and Body Dissatisfaction: The Mediating Role of Upward Social Comparison with Peers and Influencers among Young Females. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jan 29;19(3):1543. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031543. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8834897/