Dove finds 50% of girls’ self-esteem affected by idealized beauty advice on social media

28 Apr 2022 --- Dove’s Self-Esteem Project, hashtag DetoxYourFeed has released findings from a new study of 1,551 girls between 10 to 17, flagging that one in two US teenage girls finds social media advice and content can contribute to low self-esteem. 

The news is alarming, considering the increasing amount of time US teens spend on social media. According to Dove, two in three girls spend more than an hour a day on social media. This is more time than they spend in person with friends.

At the same time, most girls believe that less time on social media and careful cultivation of their feeds will alleviate this. Seven out of ten girls reported feeling better after unfollowing idealized beauty content online. This could indicate a future trend away from traditional beauty social content, or social media use entirely as Gen Z continues to transform industry.

The company’s latest research included 2,528 parents of girls aged 10 to 17.“This campaign is important as public discourse grows around the harmful effects social media can have on girls. It contextualizes the insidious nature of harmful beauty advice that's become normalized in teens’ feeds,” says social worker and psychotherapist Nadia Addesi.

Detox Your Feed: The Parents Guide
The campaign reports that 80% of girls wish their parents would discuss how to manage idealized beauty posts. In response, the Self-Esteem Project developed an “academically-validated” resource for parents to navigate tough conversations and empower their children. 

Detox Your Feed: The Parents Guide is an educational mini-film for parents and caregivers to help demystify conversations with youth about the dangers of social media.

The campaign is also releasing The Confidence Kit, a free Dove Self-Esteem Project workbook to further aid parents. Additional resources are planned for the future. Further, a free Dove Real Talk Parent workshop featuring a Q&A session with “cultural expert” Jess Weiner and Addesi will be held.

Dove’s campaigns
As a brand, Dove has employed body positivity in its marketing for years. Campaigns like #SpeakBeautiful, #NoDigitalDistortion and Reverse Selfie/Selfie talk have all put forth a message of acceptance while spreading awareness of Dove’s products.

The #DetoxYourFeed campaign implores teens to unfollow online pages which they find to lower their self-esteem and harm their emotional well-being. Dove’s latest campaign will feature films and educational material and partner with actress Gabrielle Union.

Dove says it seeks to spark conversation between parents, caregivers and teens about “toxic” or harmful beauty advice. 

In one of the campaign’s films, Toxic Influence, mothers and teenagers speak to each other about the dangers of media advice delivered via social media. The film discusses the culture around potentially harmful phenomena such as “fitspo” and “thinspo” and the promotion of surgery and cosmetic procedures for young girls.

Participant mothers were reportedly shocked to learn how normalized harmful beauty advice has become for their children. Recently, the UK moved to ban cosmetic surgery adverts targeting those under 18.

Edited by Olivia Nelson