#aestheticlabour

[junfoong]

💄 Week 8: the algorithm doesn't think I'm cute enough? Ughhh, DELETE that selfie !!!

Nyeahhh, selfies are for the hot people like for example ME 💅 ! Apparently... the effort of behind a new post isn't just for the aesthetic. iT's lAbOuRrRrrr. How emotional, strategic and deeply performative.

Aesthetic labour? what's that? Basically, it's the emotional and visual work required to present yourself in a way that fits the platforms standard of trends. i mean LOOKS MATTER right? since visual-first platform like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube existed for a reason... It's the part where the algorithm rewards users who align with dominant beauty norms.

Less authentic self-expression and more "what gets you seen" like ughhh, you know what i meant. It's self branding according to Marwick (2013) - users adopt influencer strategies to stay visible from posing, lighting, filters, angles , just all of it to the kind of unpaid performance.

All of that hard-work... The paycheck? Indeed, questionable... 🧍‍♂️

📲 Micro-celebrity & platform culture... Every user is a brand, you don't need to be famous - just be consistent, curated and clickable. However, I'll admit that it is pressuring to fit the aesthetic of the industry.

✨You are not posting for fun, it's your job, your role ✨

It's sO wEiRd that the lecture broke down on how this visibility of future affects our mental health as well as body image. It's not what it looks like — it's about needing to look that way to be seen. As for Mavroudis (2020) mentioned that this is the rising anxiety around physical appearance, especially when "success" online means to CONFORMING the algorithm's approved aesthetics or trends.

🔞 okay, this is awkward... Pornification....

As described by Drenten & Gurrieri (2019), it is the pressure to adopt sexualised aesthetics — commonly received from women and femmes that mirror the look of commercial porn. (Exaggerated curves, pouty lips, sultry poses)

Either way that kind of content itself is curated for visibility — not comforting in any other way. What's worst? The platform are so complicated !!! Ughhh, the algorithm is being biased you know 😒 !? Queer influencers, trans people and basically anyone who don't fit the cis-het white beauty standards are sOoOoo getting shadow-banned & ignored...

It's all about navigating systemic invisibility 💅

😒 sO, wHaT dOes tHiS hAvE tO dO wiTH diGitAL cItiZeNsHiP ?

this isn't just about what you post — it's supposed to be what platforms to let you be you! cOmE oN, tHiS iS 2025, what kind of "participation" is that if you have to pretend to be the "you" that people you see online.

Now it's all about being your true self !!!

Are we supposed to shape our digital selves, or just surviving in some platforms dumb algorithm?

References : 

Marwick, A. E. (2013, January). Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity, and Branding in the Social Media Age. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281668405_Status_Update_Celebrity_Publicity_and_Branding_in_the_Social_Media_Age

Abidin, C. (2016). Visibility labour: Engaging with Influencers’ fashion brands and #OOTD advertorial campaigns on Instagram. Media International Australia, 161(1), 86–100.

Miguel, C., Clare, C., Ashworth, C. J., & Hoang, D. (2023). Self-branding and Content Creation Strategies on Instagram: a Case Study of Foodie Influencers. Information, Communication & Society, 27(8), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118x.2023.2246524

Drenten, J., Gurrieri, L., & Tyler, M. (2019). Sexualized labour in digital culture: Instagram influencers, porn chic and the monetization of attention. Gender, Work & Organization, 27(1), 41–66. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12354

Duffy, B. E., & Meisner, C. (2022). Platform Governance at the margins: Social Media Creators’ Experiences with Algorithmic (in)visibility. Media, Culture & Society, 45(2), 285–304. https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437221111923

Khamis, S., Ang, L., & Welling, R. (2016, August). Self-branding, “micro-celebrity” and the rise of Social Media Influencers. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306922796_Self-branding_

[lacthehumann]

WEEK 7

✨ The Dark Side of Aesthetic Templates: How Social Media Shapes (and Shatters)

Body Image ✨

Hey y’all, let’s talk about something heavy but super relevant: the way Instagram aesthetics are low-key messing with our mental health. Ever noticed how every influencer’s feed looks eerily similar? 💄💪 That’s aesthetic templates at work — curated poses, edited bodies, and a whole lotta heteronormative beauty standards.

Microcelebrity Culture 101:

Influencers aren’t just posting pics; they’re branding themselves like products. 📦 Think: "visibility labor" (aka unpaid work to stay relevant) and "aesthetic labor" (molding your body to fit trends).

Want clout? Follow the script: women = pornified "porn chic" (accentuated curves, plumped lips), men = "muted masculinity" (athleticism, strong jaws). 🏋️♂️💋 But guess who gets erased? LGBTQ+ folks, especially when algorithms prioritize "palatable" heteronormative content. 🏳️🌈🚫

Pornification Nation: Social media’s obsession with sexualized selfies isn’t just ~empowering~ — it’s reinforcing commercial porn aesthetics. Women are pressured to perform hypersexualized femininity, while gay men mimicking those poses get sidelined. The result? Marginalized creators face algorithmic invisibility just for existing. 😤Body Image Crisis Alert: Trying to morph your IRL self into an Instagram filter? That identity dissonance (the gap between online persona and reality) is linked to Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). 😰 The more we scroll, the more we internalize unattainable ideals — leading to anxiety, surgeries, and endless dissatisfaction.

What Can We Do?

Demand regulation of influencer-led "health" campaigns pushing harmful ideals.

Amplify marginalized voices + call out algorithmic bias.

Remember: Your worth isn’t defined by likes or a jawline. 💖

Drop your thoughts below — have you felt pressured to fit these templates? Let’s unpack this together. 💬

#AestheticLabour #PornificationIsNotProgress #BDDAwareness #AlgorithmicInvisibility #BreakTheTemplate

References 

Bishop, S. (2021). Influencer management tools: Algorithmic cultures, brand safety, and bias. Social Media + Society, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051211003066

Carrotte, E. R., Prichard, I., & Lim, M. S. C. (2017). ‘Fitspiration’ on social media: A content analysis of gendered images. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 19(3).

Dorfman, R. G., Vaca, E. E., Mahmood, E., Fine, N. A., & Schierle, C. (2018). Plastic surgery-related hashtag utilization on Instagram: Implications for education and marketing. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 38(3), 332–338.

Duffy, B. E., & Meisner, C. (2022). Platform governance at the margins: Social media creators’ experiences with algorithmic (in)visibility. Media, Culture & Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437221111923

Marwick, A. E. (2013). Status update: Celebrity, publicity, and branding in the social media age. Yale University Press.

Phillips, K. A. (2009). Understanding body dysmorphic disorder: An essential guide. Oxford University Press.

Senft, T. M. (2012). Microcelebrity and the branded self. In J. Hartley, J. Burgess, & A. Bruns (Eds.), A companion to new media dynamics (pp. 346–354). Blackwell.

Tyler, M., & Quek, K. (2016). Conceptualizing pornographication. Sexualization, Media, & Society, 2(2), 1–14.