12. Essena O’Neill
In November 2015, Essena O’Neill seemed to have some sort of epiphany (or meltdown) which played out online for all to see and hear. When she first began posting to social media sites at 12-years-old, she gained a huge following flaunting herself as an Australian-born model. However, things changed as she persistently posted bikini-clad photos online. O’Neill made a comment once she turned 19-years-old, saying she wished someone had told her that she was worth more than just an Instagram photo. She also deleted her Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook profiles online, but not before posting some captions to some of the photos she had already posted.
The posts told how she felt that “Social media in an illusion” and how posts are “edited and contrived to get more views.” She started a new website where she delved deeper into the pressures put forth by social media stating, “I no longer want to spend hours and hours of my time scrolling, viewing, and comparing myself to others.” While she started off gaining fame through her scantily-clad uploads, she has since become more famous for giving an alternate take on how we view social media personalities.
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