Manipulation of Social Media Images

The idea that things like profile pictures and social media profiles can dictate bias and prejudice about one's self is a darker side to social media self branding. Markwick believes that we are able to put forth sophisticated branding strategies of ourselves through social media. This brand image of ourselves is representative of our skills and qualities. This self-branding has become a way to commodify our bodies and has even caused a market for self editing photo apps for peoples Instagram photos. If we are expecting to be judged on our social media profiles are we enabling people to go to lengths to alter these images in order to fit into the norms that self-branding seems to be demanding of us.

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Celebrities feel the need to commodify and change their already incredible bodies to fit into preconceived norms

This idea that self-branding is a creation of the authentic self ignores the realities and requirement of self-branding on social media of self-surveillance and emotional labour to maintain the ideal self online.  Although the reading framed self-regulation as positive, it seems as though we are not truly embracing living life when  we are so focused on our virtual depiction of the real.

How life-like do you think things like Lifestreaming are when we are manipulating reality to fit into ideals that are present in our society?