Teens and young adults live in the virtual realm of social media. Including adults, teens like to share the newest and most important events on social media. Whether it be exciting news or capturing special moments with friends and family, it all comes with the common goal of posting for the digital world to see.  

Social media over the last 20 years has dramatically changed in more negative ways than positive. With over 530 million active users, Snapchat offers users to apply photogenic filters to enhance their appearance. Filters don’t only include foolish add ons to selfies, like puppy ears, princess crowns, devil horns or even inanimate objects. But they also include endless options to create the perfect self image, where you’re able to alter any minor detail we may not like about our appearance. 

The new filtered generation of selfies is creating a new standard with an incredibly high expectation of beauty, and everyone is buying it. Technology can help users improve their physical characteristics contributing to low self-esteem and a worrisome condition called “Snapchat dysmorphia”. People obsess over their appearances and develop unrealistic beauty standards based on how they are able to alter their appearance. 

A current Orchard Park Senior, Olivia Lucidi says, “People become so accustomed to what we look like with filters because they’re easily available. It skews the perceptions on real beauty because our appearance is not consistent with social media.”

Studies show that some teens are even bringing in edited pictures from social media to plastic surgeons as examples of how they want to look. In this new generation it’s not only influencers who have the access to editing tools anymore, but it’s impossible for our new generation of young adults to escape the world of edited appearances. 

Although social media has placed a heavy impact on this new generation, a student at the Orchard Park High School believes there is a simple quick fix. 

“Just take a temporary break from social media. Focus on yourself instead of what others are doing and what other people look like.” said Aiden Budney, a current junior at Orchard Park. 

I agree this can be an easy solution, however it’s easier said than done. It is at no surprise that social media has become out of control. However, there is a way to take a step back from reality and focus on life as it is and what it is not.