Improving job prospects and enhancing personal appearance were the main motivations behind airbrushing images, according to a poll of 10,000 people across the UK.
Almost a fifth (19.6%) edited photos to enhance their professional image and 18.1% to make themselves look more attractive.
More than 10% altered images ‘to make my life seem more interesting’, while 9.1% did so for commercial reasons.
A similar share (10.5%) said they edited photos to remove friends from a shot.
And a small number (4.6%) admitted they edited pictures to deliberately deceive other online users.
Almost 20% of respondents aged 18-24 said viewing other people’s social-media profiles left them feeling insecure.
More than a quarter of Londoners claimed they were committed to posting ‘work-appropriate’ photos on social media.
The study was conducted by Digitalab, a photo-printing service.
Vital statistics
Do you edit your photographs in any way before putting them online?
• Yes: 32.1%
• No: 67.9%
Why do you edit your photographs before putting them online? [participants were allowed to select multiple answers]
• To enhance my professional image: 19.6%
• To make myself look more attractive: 18.1%
• To make my life seem more interesting: 10.6%
• To remove friends from the shot: 10.5%
• For commercial purposes: 9.1%
• To deliberately deceive other online users: 4.6%
• Other: 27.0%
How do you feel when looking at another person’s social media profile and online images?
• Satisfied: 41.6%
• Inadequate: 12.9%
• Unhappy: 9.9%
• Superior: 7.9%
• Unhealthy: 6.9%
• Envious: 5.0%
• Other: 15.8%
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