ISSUES
: Body Confidence
Chapter 1: Body Image
7
themselves to something impossible
and unattainable – nobody looks
fantastic all the time and everyone
has bad days.
As long as young people are aware
of this, they can make the most out
of all the benefits of social media
– staying in touch with friends,
posting photos and organising
social events.
Selfies with friends
A study at the University of Georgia
identified three main reasons
people take selfies: self-absorption,
art and a social connection. For
most young people, the latter will
be the reason they’re taking a selfie.
Taking a selfie, maybe pulling a
silly face, and sending it to a friend
is an amusing, unique way to
communicate. Also, taking selfies
within a group of friends is a great
way to bond, cement friendships
and create memories.
There’s no need to panic about
your child becoming self-obsessed
if they spend quite a bit of time
posing for selfies with friends, or on
their own. Teenagers are naturally
preoccupied with how they look as
they change and grow – this has
always been a natural part of teen
life. Selfies have given them a new
way of expressing this, and it’s
likely they’ll grow out of any slightly
worrying predilection towards
taking too many of them.
Selfie safety
There have been several worrying
reports
of
children
taking
inappropriate selfies that then end
up in the wrong hands. This has
led to a panic around the subject of
selfies and children.
But, taking a selfie rarely falls into
the category of sexting, and starting
a conversation about selfies
with your child provides a good
opportunity to raise the importance
of their online reputation.
Remind them that what goes online
stays online, and when they post
a selfie, or send one to a friend,
boyfriend or girlfriend, the image is
then out of their control.
If they’re unsure about sending it
because it’s embarrassing, a little
bit too silly, or perhaps rather risqué,
it’s always best not to. Have a look
at our article on digital reputation
for more information.
For advice on what to do if your
child has sent someone a selfie
they regret taking, or if it’s been
shared online.
The verdict
In the vast majority of cases, selfies
are fun and harmless. The only
time you may need to intervene
is if your child’s selfie-taking is
leading to them becoming overly-
concerned about their appearance,
it’s affecting their self-confidence
or if they’ve sent someone a picture
they regret taking.
Doing anything in excess isn’t good,
but as long as you encourage your
child to lead a balanced life, then
selfies will simply be another way to
have fun in the digital age.
References
1.
h t t p s : / / w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m /
watch?v=kdemFfbS5H0
2.
h t t p : // s o c i a l me d i awe e k . o r g /
blog/2014/08/selfie-boom-good-
bad-selfies-will-change-future/
3.
h t t p: /
hegua r d i an .com/
media /2015/nov/03/instagram-
star-essena-oneill-quits-2d-life-to-
reveal-true-story-behind-images
4.
/
abs/10.1521/jscp.2014.33.8.701
5.
/
abs/10.1521/jscp.2014.33.8.701
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The above information is
reprinted with kind permission
from Parent Zone and CEOP.
Please visit
for further information.
© Parent Zone and CEOP 2016
#SELFIE
... but first, let me take a selfie
Overall,
50% of men
and
52% of women
have taken a selfie
30%
followed
by the
US and
Canada
Selfies are
most popular
in Australia...
Selfies make up
of the photos taken by people between
the ages of 18–24
36%
of people have
admitted to altering
their selfies
Source: Selfie infographic – “Selfiegraphic” facts and statistics, techinfographics, 16 March 2014
of males state
they
retouch
every selfie
34%
13%
of females state
they
retouch
every selfie
