GIRLS are feeling under intense pressure to live the perfect online life, according to a survey.
It suggests the rise in popularity of social media is having an impact on young women, with many worried about issues such as how they look in photos, the number of friends or followers they have and how their lives compare to others.
The Girlguiding girls’ attitudes survey also indicates parents are at risk of underestimating the impact that social media can have on their daughters, with girls saying they do not feel their mothers and fathers realise the pressures they face.
In total, more than a third (35%) of the 11 to 21-year-old girls questioned said comparing themselves and their lives to others is one of their biggest online concerns, while the same proportion said that they were worried about threats from strangers.
A further 36% were worried about grooming and 36% also cited how pictures of them might be used by others as one of their biggest fears.
Three in 10 (30%) of the 11 to 16-year-old girls questioned were concerned about how they look in photos, rising to 35% among the 17 to 21-year-olds.
Around 13% of 11 to 16-year-olds and 10% of the older age group (17-21) worried about the number of friends, followers or “likes” they have on social media sites, while 22% of those aged 11-16 and 26% of the 17 to 21-year-olds were concerns they feel they have to check their phone first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
Less than half (47%) of the young women polled felt their parents realise the pressures they face on social media.
One Girlguiding advocate, Maddie, 15, from Southampton, said: “Social media is an incredible tool, but these statistics show it can also have such a negative impact on our lives.
“I think it is so sad to see how girls and young women today are becoming more and more affected by the pressures of social media.
“Speaking from experience, it can be such a hard thing to face along with the other pressures of being a teenager or young person, and it can become very overwhelming.
“Comparing yourself to others is a very easy trap for girls and young women to fall into, especially given how often we use social media to follow the lives of both our friends and celebrities.”
The poll questioned 1,906 UK girls aged seven to 21.
Youngsters strive for perfect selfies to make lives ‘look more interesting’
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