Girls spend an hour parading through their closets to choose a “perfect” outfit that everyone will love, spend an hour covering themselves with makeup, turn on the “beauty filter” on social media and put on a fake smile. Social media continues to evolve each year, and the standards of the ideal woman are shaped by what we see on social media. When a young girl opens TikTok and sees a clear-skinned, skinny woman with perfect features, insecurities are bound to begin. Social media is a huge part of teenagers’ day, and the time spent on apps like TikTok or Instagram can affect how we feel about ourselves.
I remember when I turned 10 years old, I got my first phone and I begged my mom for every social media app a phone could bear. Unfortunately, one of the most exciting things in kids’ lives now is getting a phone and downloading the apps that everyone has. Little do they know that those three new fun apps will turn into the most draining ones.
It’s important to address the issue that young girls and teenagers are facing with social media, although we don’t want to admit it, and feel like we can’t live without these apps. An article on Penn State University’s Thrive website includes a study published on Oct. 29, 2025, by Pew Research Center, a fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. “The design of many social platforms, which often emphasize appearance, popularity and curated perfection, may be part of the cause of these pressures for girls. In fact, according to the report, girls, in particular, said they feel more pressure to post, to appear attractive or popular and to engage with content that often triggers comparison or self-doubt.”
The majority of teenage girls have accounts on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, and posting can be one of the scariest and most exciting moments because you get all the validating comments, and it fills you with confidence. These days, people constantly search for approval that they are actually pretty or fit the standard of “pretty.”
Social media is effective on all people; while there are positives, the negatives outweigh them. Social media can teach people new things and provide relatable content. Each person’s feed and algorithm is different, but it’s important to recognize the real effects of social media, especially on teenage girls. Banning apps may not be the correct way to go, but young women should own up to their addiction to the apps and find new ways to balance it. Limiting your screen time can help you achieve your goals and become your best self.
To accomplish better ways to manage time on social media as a teenage girl, growing interested in new hobbies or finding new activities is a good way to start. Limiting as much time as you can to sit on your phone for hours. Distracting yourself with exciting movies or creating a new playlist. There are many ways to keep off social media, but the most important is to acknowledge what you are doing on the apps. After sitting on your phone for an hour straight, cleaning your room or completing a homework assignment could make you feel proud of yourself.
It’s important to spend time away from the apps that tell you to wear makeup, buy a new outfit or go out to parties because “it’s cool.” Teenage girls need to stop being brainwashed into being perfect or fitting the standards of what that means. Almost everyone on social media puts a filter on, and not just on their skin. Women love to fantasize about having lots of money and shopping every day, but even though this will feel good for a moment, it’s important to do what you love. Don’t let the looks of other girls’ lives make you feel less about yours.
Photo credit: “Unrealistic Beauty Standards” by MissLunaRose12 is licensed under (CC BY 4.0).
