A study by The Female Lead suggests women and girls should use #DisruptYourFeed to improve the way they feel about their own lives
Author: Mick CoylePosted 2 hours ago
Women and girls are being urged to follow more “positive role models” on social media to improve their attitudes towards their own lives.
A five-year study by campaign group The Female Lead found that women have better experiences with their phones when they follow up-and-coming, diverse and “real” people, rather than “fake reality stars and airbrushed celebrities.”
Former first lady Michelle Obama and Harry Potter actress Emma Watson were among those whose accounts had a positive impact on attendees.
The data suggests that when teens make smarter choices about who they follow online, they feel better about themselves and set higher personal and professional goals.
Teens are encouraged to use #DisruptYourFeed
As part of the campaign, teenage girls are now being asked to make a #DisruptYourFeed pledge to improve their online experience:
Scroll purposefully – avoid “passive” or “doom” scrolling for no reason. Challenge the algorithm – don’t be spooked by social feeds clogged with the same type of content it thinks you want to see. Take the lead in your own feed – use social media on your own terms LISTEN: Learn about the #DisruptYourFeed study with psychologist and author Dr. Terri Apter in this week’s mental health podcast survey on Monday, which returns worrying results
The Female Lead study spoke to 76,000 women about their online experiences.
It found:
78% of people believe social media has negatively impacted the way they see their bodies. 75% worry that social media is having a negative impact on their mental health
Body Consciousness Activist Megan Crabbe told us: “I believe in pausing your feed and do it often – whenever scrolling leads you to comparison, negative self-talk or information overload, it’s time to change things .
“We should all take regular breaks from social media, but we also have the power to change the way we feel while online. I try to design my online space to be empowering, fun, and educational—and each of them moderation!
“At its best, social media helps us feel connected and inspired.
Edwina Dunn, founder of The Female Lead, said: “The problem is that we know social media can be bad for our health.
“The voices and opinions of 76,000 women around the world today prove that these fears are not unfounded and have not abated.
“Women (not just teenagers) really fear and suffer from the negative effects of using social media, and yet we keep coming back for more. We remain addicted to this content. So why not maximize the benefits that social media offers as well? ?
“We currently allow platforms to manage our feeds and so ‘we get what we get’. Many of us consume a loop of airbrushed entertainment that makes us all feel ‘less than’, constantly comparing ourselves to people and stories that are neither real nor uplifting.”
Find out more about The Female Lead’s #DisruptYourFeed campaign
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