Social media star reveals the truth about her Instagram photos

Some teens dream of having half a million Instagram followers, 200,000 people watching their Youtube videos, and 60,000 users keeping up with their Snapchats. 19-year-old Essena O’Neill is forgoing it all to show the ugly truth behind her “perfect life” on social media.

The Australian native posted her last YouTube video on Monday explaining her decision to overhaul her social media accounts. O’Neill deleted thousands of photos from Instagram, renamed her account to “Social Media Is Not Real Life,” and edited the captions of her remaining photos to expose the truth behind the images.  

NOT REAL LIFE – took over 100 in similar poses trying to make my stomach look good. Would have hardly eaten that day. Would have yelled at my little sister to keep taking them until I was somewhat proud of this. Yep so totally #goals

A photo posted by Social Media Is Not Real Life (@essenaoneill) on May 10, 2014 at 12:59am PDT

“I’ve spent the majority of my teenage life being addicted to social media, social approval, social status, and my physical appearance,” O’Neill writes in her last Instagram post. “[Social media] is contrived images and edited clips ranked against each other. It’s a system based on social approval, likes, validation, in views, success in followers. It’s perfectly orchestrated self-absorbed judgment.”

The only thing that made me feel good that day was this photo. How deeply depressing. Having a toned body is not all we as human beings are capable of.

Recommended

Maddowblog

Why the acting CDC director’s background does not inspire confidence

Steve Benen

MS NOW Opinion

Sha’Carri Richardson’s domestic violence arrest should be a real wake-up call

Keith Reed

A photo posted by Social Media Is Not Real Life (@essenaoneill) on Apr 24, 2014 at 3:47pm PDT

Was paid $400 to post a dress. That's when I had maybe 150k followers, with half a million followers, I know of many online brands (with big budgets) that pay up to $2000 per post. Nothing is wrong with accepting brand deals. I just think it should be known. This photo had no substance, it was not of ethical manufacturing (I was uneducated at the time). SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT REAL is my point. Be aware what people promote, ask yourself, what's their intention behind the photo?

A photo posted by Social Media Is Not Real Life (@essenaoneill) on May 26, 2014 at 12:16am PDT

O’Neill has launched her own website called Let’s Be Game Changers where she plans on continuing to educate others about the destructive nature of limiting themselves to artificial ideas of happiness. In her first blog post, she challenges her followers to delete their social media accounts for one week.

“I want you to actually do this and see what happens,” O’Neill writes. “My whole life changed when I did. I finally woke up. I saw more, I listened more, I had more time, I found myself becoming more and more creative, less stressed, and happier with this new sense of power… but most of all I just FELT MORE. I want you to feel this too. It’s so beautiful. It’s real.”