This week we took a break from the regular rhythm of the module to look at manufactured fictions in the age of Instagram.
We discussed things like deepfakes, heavily edited photos, fake news and AI influencers. When we can fake so much now, how can we be sure that what we’re looking at is real?
Many celebrities and brands have been called out for heavily editing their instagram images, but what is the true extent of this phenomenon?
When a celebrity was caught editing their Instagram photos, it used to make headlines.
However, with the introduction of editing apps such as FaceTune, edited photos have become so common that it is impossible to keep track of them. However, one anonymous Instagrammer is making an attempt.
@celebface is a celebrity. Not only does the Instagram account document egregious celebrity photoshopping, but it also documents stars' facial transformations over time and close-ups of stars' faces.
For example, the HuffPost gif below allegedly shows the difference between Kylie Jenner's Instagram Story selfie and the one she posted for posterity in her main feed:
Browsing through the account quickly shows you that models and influencers are often the biggest culprits of photoshopping their photos. Take for example this photo comparison of influencer Tana Mongeau:
So what’s the issue? Shouldn’t we let people represent themselves how they like online?
It’s easy to say this, but we have to think of the impact these photos are having on young, impressionable people.