Instagram Anxiety

The 'Instagram Anxiety' episode of the 'Call Your Girlfriend' podcast, hosted by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, delves into the complex relationship between social media, specifically Instagram, and the psychological impacts it has on its users. The hosts begin by discussing the broader cultural phenomenon of scams, such as the infamous Fyre Festival, and how these events are intertwined with the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) that social media platforms often exacerbate. They express concern over the manipulative nature of social media marketing and the role of agencies like Jerry Media in shaping public perception and behavior. This segues into a personal discussion about their own experiences and anxieties with Instagram, noting how the platform's evolution from a simple photo-sharing service to a heavily curated and commercialized space has affected them.

Ann and Aminatou, despite being media-savvy, acknowledge the creeping anxiety that comes with using Instagram. They note how the platform's algorithmic changes, such as the introduction of 'close friends' and other features, manipulate user interactions and promote content from strangers over real-life friends. The hosts discuss the lack of etiquette and understanding around social media behaviors, comparing it to the absence of an 'Emily Post' for the internet. They highlight the importance of recognizing the engineered experiences behind social media narratives and the implications these have on mental health and societal expectations.

The episode also features an interview with Laura Shipley, an assistant professor of photography, who discusses the challenges of teaching students to critically analyze the images they encounter on platforms like Instagram. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the authored nature of photographs, which are often perceived as unfiltered reality. Shipley traces the origins of sharing positive, family-oriented images to the marketing strategies of early consumer cameras like the Kodak Brownie, revealing how long-standing capitalist motives have shaped our photographic practices and contributed to the pressure to portray an idealized life on social media.