When Your Favorite Celebs Make You Feel Like a Bad Version of Yourself
It turns out that scrolling through Instagram while you’re dreaming of the perfect selfie can actually ruffle your confidence. Internal research from Facebook—unveiled by the Wall Street Journal—shows that following big names like Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, and Charli D’Amelio can turn your mood into a negative, self‑critique mode. The study, titled Social Comparison on Instagram, surveyed a whopping 100 000 people in March‑April 2020 across nine countries (U.S., Australia, Brazil, and more).
What the Survey Revealed
- More than 30 million followers on each of those celeb accounts.
- People who logged higher or lower “negative social comparison” scores often mentioned watching these accounts.
- Ariadna Grande and Kendall Jenner also popped up on the list of people who felt more negative after following certain stars.
Kevin McAlister, a Facebook spokesperson, clarified that the researchers didn’t go around asking folks to name every account they’d visited. But the data revealed a rather clear trend: the more celebrity content in your feed, the more likely you were to feel downabout yourself.
Oops, What About The “Cool” Celebs?
Not all star power has that downside. Accounts from The Ellen Show, comedian Ellen DeGeneres, actor Will Smith, and Brazilian football legend Neymar drew followers who reported “less negative comparison.” Instagram had a hand in catapulting influencer culture to the first place, and it appears the platform knew from the start that bringing celebrities on board could also bring balanced vibes.
How Instagram’s Celebrity Game Got Started
- Ashton Kutcher helped Instagram snag credibility among other influencers and was instrumental in getting the platform noticed by huge names like Ariana Grande.
- Thanks to these partnerships, celebrities could use Instagram’s tools to shape their online presence while the company stayed hedged against the risk of turning its user base into self‑depreciating digital zombies.
In short, searching for your favorite celebrity might not just be your aesthetic fix—it’s also a quick way to feed your inner critic. The research team suggests teaming up with the stars on programs that aim to reduce negative comparison, which could help Instagram users feel better inside their scrolling bubbles.
