What Does #Freedom Look Like? Instagram and the Visual Imagination of Values

Abstract

Instagram is the place for the visualization of everything, from travel and food to abstract concepts such as freedom. Over the past decade, the platform has introduced a bottom-up process where users co-produce image repertoires that shape the boundaries of the imaginable. Drawing on an epistemology of social constructionism, we ask which visual repertoires are associated with value-related terms on Instagram. We studied 20 widely used value hashtags, sampling the top 100 posts for each (N = 2,000). A combined qualitative–quantitative content analysis revealed that 19 of the 20 hashtags possess distinct visual footprints, typically reflecting an orientation toward the self and an emphasis on consumption. We conclude by discussing three implications of our findings: the role of images in the social construction of the meaning of values, the distinction between internalized and externalized value depictions, and aestheticized consumption as an organizing principle of Instagram’s mainstream.

Desocializing Social Media: The Visual and Media Ideologies of Stock Photography

“…We are mindful that, in the age of fast scholarship, a stock photography corpus that was first generated in 2015 may seem dated to some; however, this is not the case. First, it is our expert view that image banks do not turn over their stock quickly, and that stock photography’s key visual resources are typically aimed at infusing images with a timeless aesthetic, which for commercial purposes also translates into a “long shelf life.” Along the same lines, Trillò et al (2021) have observed how visual motifs employed by Instagram users were “less affected by specific events than one might expect” (p. 894); images remained stable and consistent over time, even in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, we point to our 2022 news media sample, which confirms how similar, if not identical, stock photos were still being used (as with the one shown in Figure 1).…”

Multiple Instagram Accounts and the Illusion of Freedom

“…The First Accounts: Compromising Social Media Rules Users usually set public in their first accounts. As the platform for visualization of everything, images on Instagram exist as objects stored in actual archives and are produced according to standardized rules (Trillò et al, 2021). Posting content emphasizing positive aspects of self is one important Instagram unwritten rule.…”

“…At this point, images selected by users are categorized to certain criteria, such as context, content, and style. Images can also be used to categorize people and objects (Trillò et al, 2021).…”

The Political Influence of Lifestyle Influencers? Examining the Relationship Between Aspirational Social Media Use and Anti-Expert Attitudes and Beliefs

“…Although lifestyle influencers may avoid discussions of politics to avoid alienating segments of their audience (Suuronen et al, 2022), young people often have positive views toward influencers who discuss politics, seeing their political expression as driven by genuine interest and concern, compared to politicians perceived to be seeking to curry public favor or journalists who may be biased (Manning et al, 2017;Zimmermann et al, 2022). Furthermore, many lifestyle influencers, whether purposefully or inadvertently, make their political values visible by documenting their daily habits, consumer preferences, and personal values (Trillò et al, 2021). Cultural consumption habits frequently correspond with political ideologies and civic behaviors (Friedland et al, 2007;Mutz & Rao, 2018), and consumer lifestyle choices can serve as instigators for collective action and social change (Haenfler et al, 2012), especially among people who feel traditional political processes are unresponsive or do not serve their interests (Eliasoph, 1998).…”

“…Although often devoid of explicit political messages, aspirational content is imbued with political values. For example, wellness content on Instagram, known for depicting happy people adhering to western beauty ideals and neutral toned home goods (Monks et al, 2021; Trillò et al, 2021), promotes positive thinking and natural products as solutions to a wide range of physical and mental ailments, framing health as a personal responsibility while ignoring socio-economic systems that affect health outcomes (Chinn, Hasell & Hiaeshutter-Rice, 2023). Some aspirational content is explicitly political, actively attempting to persuade and mobilize (e.g., Harris et al, 2023).…”