Psychologists and sociologists have long warned that social media takes a toll on users’ mental health, which is why we’re so glad to see this awesome story about a social media company that’s doing something to make their platform a more uplifting space: Instagram is adding a new “CONFIDENCE BOOST” tab where you can look at posts from people whose lives are even shittier than yours.
This is so awesome!
This month, Instagram will roll out the new CONFIDENCE BOOST feature, which will allow users with low self-esteem to immediately feel better about themselves by showing them posts from people whose lives are much worse than their own, whether they’re uglier or poorer or just generally more unremarkable as a human being.
“Most users’ Instagram feeds are full of images of friends and influencers with perfect bodies, gorgeous houses, and happy families, and being bombarded with these images of ‘perfection’ can make a person’s self-worth dip,” said Instagram in a press release explaining the decision. “Our new feature will combat this effect. If you’re feeling low after looking at a supermodel’s post from a lavish yacht party in Mykonos, just navigate to the new CONFIDENCE BOOST tab, where our state-of-the-art curation algorithm will quickly populate a blurry photo of poorly painted toes in dirty Old Navy flip flops posted by a frumpy middle-aged lady on vacation in Myrtle Beach, whose ghostly pale legs and grammatically insane captions will leave you feeling smarter and prettier. Whenever you’re feeling bad about yourself, the CONFIDENCE BOOST feature is there to remind you that, hey, things can always be worse.”
Now that’s a mental health win!
The sophisticated new technology will work endlessly to generate a constant stream of shitty posts from depressing accounts all over Instagram, ensuring that no matter how many picturesque mountaintop engagement photos and infuriatingly expensive apartment renovation pictures you see on your regular feed, you will be able to keep things in perspective with photos of unshowered women in slapped-together outfits, selfies from mind-numbing Greyhound rides through Indiana, and videos of exhausted-looking stay-at-home moms unenthusiastically hawking LuLaRoe leggings to other exhausted-looking stay-at-home moms.
Instagram worked with psychologists and mental health specialists to develop the feature, which is designed to assist users at their moments of greatest need. For example, after someone has spent more than 20 minutes combing through a famous actress’s photos from her time shooting a film in New Zealand, a message reading “Feeling poor and ugly? Time for a CONFIDENCE BOOST” will flash to help them navigate to a carousel of images cataloguing some poor sap’s time in the ER with a hernia.
Wow. This feature sounds like it could be a major game-changer for people who feel stuck trying to keep up with the Joneses on Instagram. Social media may contribute to mental illness, but it doesn’t have to, thanks to awesome companies like Instagram. We are so ready to try this out!
