An Exploration of a Troubling Trend Manifesting Itself in Social Media - Coursework Example

Section/# “Thinspiration An Exploration of A Troubling Trend Manifesting Itself in Social Media It is without question that the technological revolution that has been ongoing with regards to the age of the internet and personal computing has brought a wide range of intrinsic benefits to mankind. However, just as with any new development in science or technology, there are inherent drawbacks that must also be considered. A few of these benefits include the ease of communication, e-commerce, a wide array of opinions and news outlets available to the user, and a litany of other types of information literally at the fingertips of the user. Naturally, social media has been one of the recent ways in which life and advertising itself has been revolutionized. When it began, few within the field of advertising and/or media relations saw much promise within the platform. However, as can be noted by just a cursory review of current advertising techniques, it is almost impossible to turn on the television, or use a favorite product without seeing or hearing advertisements focused upon the viewer/reader/listener liking the firm on Facebook and/or following them on Twitter. As a function of this focus by firms and the overall utilization of alternative media outlets to engage the customer with their product, the true importance and scope that such outlets have is realized by the analyst. For purposes of this particular research, it will be understood and assumed that the scope and reach of such alternative forms of marketing is perhaps broader than any other form of advertising that has thus far been utilized. Further, the ultimate importance of this will be discussed with relation to the so called “thinspiration” advertisements that seemingly permeate cyber space, and specifically social media advertising. The trend itself is troubling due to the ultimate audience that social media engenders as well as the ease of entry and exit for many of the firms that seek to advertise their products to those who utilize social media. Whereas more traditional forms of advertising such as radio, TV, or newspaper will yield a certain level of demographic customization, they are still targeted to a wide market audience (Thinspiriation 17). Comparatively, the way in which key demographic data can be gleaned from the individual habits, viewing preferences, and other indicators that a social media user may indicate, the level to which very specific and tailored ads, such as what this analysis will term “thinspiration” ads, can be integrated with a specific user is infinitely higher and more precise than the more traditional advertisements which have previously been mentioned. This level of customization and specific audience targeting is troubling in a number of ways. The first reason that this is troubling is due to the fact that many individuals who are emotionally and/or psychologically insecure, as well as a great number of young men and women who are most at risk for bulimia and/or anorexia, are ultimately one of the core demographics that are represented within social media. As such, this author will categorize those individuals under the age of 25 as most sensitive to the suggestions of such advertisements with regards to their overall attractiveness and body image. Without delving too deeply into the psychological reasons for this, the reader can safely assume that due other fact that a very large percentage of these individuals are unmarried and seeking to present a positive body image to the world in which they interact, they are highly attuned to the suggestions of the media as well as advertisers with regards to what they should ultimately look like. One does not need to look very hard in order to find the underlying conflict that exists within our society with regards to the way in which individuals, specifically women, are expected to look within the confines of the current culture. Models are, and have for years, been paraded before the individual that look practically on the verge of death or at best needed a feeding tube. Toys, specifically Barbie, have engaged women and girls for decades with the fact that they will never be perfect and should strive and seek for the level of inhuman and impossible perfection exhibited in the unrealistic waist, hip, and bust measurements of Barbie. Yet, a common theme within such a cultural understanding of weight and issues regarding body image is the fact that almost all of these ideas have originated and been backed tacitly by very large and visible firms. Mattel has been in the news on and off for years with relation to the Barbie issue previously discussed. Fashion houses and fashion designers have been harassed and exemplified with regards to what they are perpetrating on generations of young women the world over. However, what is particularly insidious about the “thinspiriation” advertisements that will herein be discussed is the fact that these oftentimes, and almost invariably, are not the work of a large recognizable firm or brand which can be called to task to answer for the unnatural body images they represent or the products which they market; instead, they are invariable very small, highly profitable firms that prey upon the social and cultural dynamics of our current society as a means of generating sales for the products or services they represent. The fact that these firms are not monolithic such as Mattel or a popular clothing brand makes it all the more difficult for culture warriors or society in general to point them out as an exemplification of what specifically is wrong with the way in which advertising is being perpetrated upon the most vulnerable individuals within our society. As has been previously mentioned, another rather insidious aspect of the way that these advertisements target the end viewer is the way in which they gather key demographic information with regards to the target audience. This is done in a number of ways; not the least of which is the nearly non-existent privacy policies that social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter represent. Although the user may feel confident that such well known and publicly traded firms would have a modicum of respect for the individual privacy of its users, the sad fact of the matter is that the dollar is king and almost every single social networking site generates its income via a process of information sale and marketing access. This marketing access is made possible by providing marketologists and interested firms with a wealth of key demographic information regarding the users that utilize such a service. Doubtless the reader can recall a situation in which they have performed a Google search for something as innocuous as “baby clothes” only to have a litany of ads show up on Facebook with reference to marriage, honeymoons, engagement rings etc. This is the result of complex computer algorithms that are capable of storing and tracking web browsing preferences of the user and then reflecting these “preferences” back to the end consumer in the form of a litany of advertisements that marketologists have determined yield the highest hit ratio and generate the most sales. Although it may sound all very mathematical, the fact of the matter is that it is highly emotional as well. The very same premise works with relation to the individual who is perhaps under the age of 25, female, and has recently included a status update with reference to the words, “fat, overweight, obese, diet, flab, stomach, butt, jeans, dress” and a litany of other terms that may or may not have any relation whatsoever to the belief by the user that they are somehow inadequate and should change their lifestyle in order to more effectively mirror the mores and/or norms that the advertising entity is presenting to them. As has been stated, such a practice is both morally and ethically questionable due to the fact that it is oftentimes the express intent of the entity to market its product or service to those within society who are at most risk for being easily impressionable and having an already low self-esteem with relation to overall body image. The firms also have the added benefit of being able to tailor their advertisements by region based upon the IP address that is accessing the information (Curry 360). This is done as a way to further add a degree of legitimacy to the service or product and engage the viewer with the understanding that other individuals of their same gender, age group, and even ethnicity have tried similar products or services and have reported phenomenal results; with the unspoken and implied understanding that such expert knowledge should only further instill in the viewer a desire to pursue the same ends as a means to bring their body shape more in line with societally and culturally accepted mores/norms. One of the reasons why such ads have reached such a high level of prominence is due to the fact that they products and services they represent are ultimately offered by non-recognizable firms or companies. As a function of this, this low level approach has meant that the level of public outcry is limited due to two specific factors. The first of which has already been discussed as a function of the fact that a multitude of small non-recognizable firms make it hard for interested parties, specifically intent on safeguarding the young men and women that such advertisements prey upon, cannot effectively organize or provide a poster child for why harmful business advertising like this can ultimately be damaging to an entire generation of young people (Lewis & Arbuthnott 201). This low entry cost allows for a litany of firms that are interested in tapping such a lucrative market to participate in what can otherwise be considered morally questionable marketing practices. Due to the fact that these firms and/or companies are merely attempting to cash in on many at-risk individual’s innate sense of worthlessness and poor self/body image, one does not need to consider to a great depth whether or not these firms are merely operating within the confines of normally appropriate business practices or are ultimately preying upon the very weakest and most vulnerable within society by such a brazen means that other types of advertising would not likely ever consider utilizing. Secondly, the fact remains that due to the highly specialized marketing that such outfits engage upon, it is probably likely that many members of society that might otherwise be interested in such a cultural anomaly have not been marketed to in the same way that a teenage girl represented in social networking would be. This again serves to underscore the sheer power and effectiveness that such an approach necessarily engenders. Whereas many individuals would likely be up in arms, demand the ads to be pulled, and even perhaps seek legal action if such exhibitions were demonstrated on network television, the fact of the matter is that the main shareholders who would be most likely to take a form of action against such practices are rarely if ever introduced to the same high level of marketing that the affected group in question is. Although the problem itself is systemic, represented across nearly the full gamut of social networking and internet advertising, there has been some movement by the appropriate and responsible social media platforms to seek to regulate and in some cases ban, such forms of advertising. Most prominent among these is Pinterest which has outright banned the representation of what the site administrators call “self harm” within the content available to its users. This came surprisingly as a function of site administration being made aware of some of the type of content that was regularly being presented to its viewers and deeming it unsuitable (Krupnick 2). Naturally, such a large “umbrella term” such as “self harm” captures a range of action and advertising to include: self mutilation (cutting), suicide, and what the site admins term “self abuse”; i.e. bulimia and/or anorexia. This therefore is a broad enough explanation to warrant the removal of targeted advertising that seeks to promote unhealthy representations of extreme weight loss and the glorification of emaciated women which had hitherto been directly represented to the end user within the site. Pinterest’s bold action has sadly not led to an avalanche of similar action among other social networking sites; however, it is the belief of this author that as the level of knowledge and societal participation within this debate continues to increase, so too will the pressures that can be exerted upon the appropriate shareholders within the larger social networking sites to ban and/or provide a strict level of regulation with regards to what advertisements can and cannot be permissible to the viewer of the site. Ultimately, many of the social networking sites seek to maximize their profits while taking the easy out that is afforded them by way of claiming that they merely sell advertising space to interested third parties and/or middle men who ultimately then sell it off to the final buyer. However, the fact remains that the advertisements that appear on a website are ultimately indicative of the type of website that is being visited and regardless of the way that these social networking sites which to paint this particular situation, they are tacitly provided a level of credence and support for such practices by allowing them to continue in the way that they have. Ultimately, as this analysis has indicated, the root problem lies with a number of shareholders. The ones that represent the least culpability within the given situation are those end users that are exposed to the unnatural and unreasonable physical demands that such advertisements necessarily espouse. Next on the list is the culpability that society plays with regards to allowing such a situation to continue to propagate itself. Thirdly is the culpability of the responsible entity; i.e. the social networking site itself and the level to which they tacitly allow such advertising to continue to take place due to its sheer profitability and the lack of desire they have to see this easy money withdrawn. Likewise, the most morally responsible entity is that of the firm or company that seeks to advertise its product in such a psychologically predatory way. By utilizing the technological techniques that have herein been discussed as a means of targeting the most at-risk individuals within society with regards to the product or service they are ultimately offering, these firms bear a massive responsibility that if not legal should at least be understood in moral and ethical terms. Whereas it is not the intent of this particular research paper to encourage the reader that such practices themselves should be outlawed, it is the intent of this author to underscore the problem so that all responsible shareholders can and will behave in a way that will seek to minimize overall exposure of the very vulnerable individuals within our society that can and do so easily identify with innately flawed images of self-worth and body style that these companies seek to prey upon. Works Cited Curry, Jennifer, and Shannon Ray. "Starving For Support: How Women With Anorexia Receive Thinspiration On The Internet." Journal Of Creativity In Mental Health 5.4 (2010): 358-373. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. Krupnick, Ellie. "Pinterest Thinspiration Content Banned According To New Acceptable Use Policy." Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. N.p., 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. . Lewis, Stephen P., and Alexis E. Arbuthnott. "Searching For Thinspiration: The Nature Of Internet Searches For Pro-Eating Disorder Websites." Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking 15.4 (2012): 200-204. Business Source Premier. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. "Thinspiration." Contemporary Pediatrics 24.1 (2007): 17. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. Read More