How PR Shapes Insecurities Through Social Media Trends
I spend most days looking at my reflection and not liking what I see. It’s not that I have low self esteem or I wish I looked different. It’s that I have grown accustomed to comparing myself. Society expects women to fit a certain societal beauty standard that is rare to achieve. The learned behavior of comparing myself to women that are recognized as “above average” is a habit I wish I had never learned. Whenever I scroll through TikTok or Instagram, I see women that make me assess what I am lacking. Social media has not only influenced beauty standards but it has also taught us to constantly compare ourselves to others.
This does not happen randomly but is shaped by PR strategies, influencer marketing and branding that define what is considered “attractive.”
Social media has normalized unrealistic beauty standards. Through endless scrolling on TikTok’s For You page, young girls can develop insecurities about their style, physical features and eating habits. TikTok videos created by popular young creators such as Embreigh Courtlyn, Preslee Faith and Sky Miller are flooded with thousands of comments made by young girls stating “WHY CAN'T I LOOK LIKE HER?” This leads to young girls in their developmental stages comparing themselves and how they look to what TikTok deems as “famous quality.” PR plays a major role in the expansion of insecurities via social media. Brands and agencies connect specifically to individuals that align with specific qualities to promote the brand and the image they want to represent.
To understand this, we need to understand how TikTok algorithms work. TikTok’s algorithm is generated by machine learning and AI, tailoring content to fit the audience's interest, according to Sedona Sky Academy. The content shown to teens revolves around idolized beauty standards, success and minimized eating habits. Algorithms reinforce the standards that PR strategies promote. Once certain content receives a lot of traction, TikTok will continue promoting similar content, reinforcing the same beauty standards on a continuous basis.
Instead of using TikTok as a place where we are hyping women up, it is a weapon against ourselves and our self-worth.
Bio: Nylah Quijano is currently a third year student at CSUN studying Journalism with a concentration in Public Relations and minoring in HR & Talent Acquisition as well as Marketing. She is currently an apprentice Brand ambassador for her family company Certified Enameling, and is passionate about applying her education to her work.