Why I deleted Instagram off my phone, and perhaps why you should too.

By: EJ Barthelemy
Social media is unhealthy and breeds toxicity. I’ve only recognized the gravity of this truth over the past year. Change in how we interact with social media is necessary for both posters and consumers. I urge you, the poster, to have heightened awareness about the effects of your actions, and to limit the spread of potentially harmful messages. I urge you, the consumer, to greatly reduce your social media consumption, and to ultimately stop looking through your feed entirely. 

I recognize there are benefits to social media right now. Many people in quarantine are alone. Social media allows many to connect with friends and family members who they would otherwise be unable to contact. Social media fosters an online community, one which has grown exponentially during the pandemic. Short videos on services such as TikTok and Instagram Reels have proven to be helpful distractions. Right now, everyone needs a bit of comedic relief and escape.

However, it is far too easy to find yourself scrolling through a perpetual feed of other people's social media posts when you have nothing better to do. Consuming social media can cause harmful emotions, including inadequacy, isolation, depression and anxiety. The pandemic exacerbates this negativity, making it increasingly easy to breed toxicity.

Throughout this pandemic, I have seen too many posts with pictures and videos of people my age maskless at parties. When your family hasn't been affected by the virus, it may have no effect on you. But when your loved ones have been infected, even after taking numerous precautions, these posts become destructive. Why do these people insist on putting themselves and others in danger? Why do they insist on flaunting it on social media? Why is my family the one to pay the price? These posts are a mockery of anyone who has decided to make a conscientious effort to uphold the safety of themselves and those around them.

By scrolling through social media feeds, you are essentially studying other people's lives. The feelings I mentioned earlier can often arise from looking at these posts. Socioeconomic factors heighten these feelings. Someone with financial troubles might look at the post of someone of a higher class and begin to feel envious of that person's life or feel that their life is inadequate. The reality is that people only share what they want others to see. One post cannot reveal every aspect of their life. Thus, judging yourself based on the select image someone else wants you to believe about them is not healthy. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, which has broadened socioeconomic disparities, looking at someone flaunting a better financial status is harmful. People whose families are struggling due to the current economic climate will not stay strong through this pandemic by looking at posts from people privileged enough to be financially secure. I cannot merely tell you to stop having these feelings, but what I can advise is that you do your best to eliminate what engenders them.

I doubt I can convince those who decided to act selfishly and endanger others' lives to refrain from posting records of their behavior on social media. 

Aside from posts with people not wearing masks and failing to distance themselves, there are also posts in which people are actually following the COVID-19 guidelines that are still destructive. I've seen posts with non-family members on vacation posing maskless together while partying. Even if safe, these pictures are harmful and breed an environment of toxicity, insecurity, and self-loathing. It sends the wrong message to the audience. This is why I have not been surprised at the negative responses to these types of posts. I wish I could urge others to have empathy, to help us avoid this result, and simply stop posting pictures like these in the first place.

I am aware that posting on social media is a form of expression. All I can advocate for is increased sensitivity to your audience. The pandemic is affecting everyone around the world in very different ways. The best way, in my opinion, to be more sensitive is to first recognize how fortunate your current situation is and what a privilege it is to be safe during this pandemic. Take a second to think about how what you plan to share will affect your audience. You might be fortunate enough to be able to go on vacation and enjoy yourself right now. Still, you must remember what others are going through. No one can blame you for being comfortable during the pandemic. I don’t blame you or despise or resent you. But in the interest of compassion, keep it to yourself.