Pressure to be Perfect
How to be your whole self safely and take care of yourself and others on Instagram
We want your time on Instagram to be positive, inspiring, and intentional. This toolkit, a collaboration between Instagram and The Jed Foundation (JED), is here to help you figure out the best ways for you to use the platform. We want to encourage you to be mindful of how time online impacts your emotional well-being, share some tips and tools that can improve your experience, and connect you with resources for further thought and discussion.
Pressure to be Perfect is about recognizing that what you see posted by others is just one part of their story—a single post or video rarely reflects all that is happening behind the scenes. That realization can help free us from the pressure of thinking we need to conform to a certain set of standards when we post. Moving from a mindset of comparing yourself with others to one where you are thoughtfully sharing yourself with others could help make the time you spend on Instagram more intentional and rewarding.
This is a tool book, not a rule book
We’re not here to tell you who you are or what to do. Pressure to be Perfect is about helping you to decode not just images, but the emotions around them—how you feel when you’re on Instagram, how you feel about content and people you come across, how you feel about what you share—and even what it feels like not to share. With that self-awareness, you can use these tools and suggestions to make informed decisions about how you use the platform.
Like Instagram, this toolkit is meant to be fun! It is intended to suggest ways for you to create connections and conversations. Try taking some of the quizzes with a friend and talking about your results, or sharing some of the insights you take away after reading.
Click here to get all the quizzes and material.
COLLABORATORS
We worked with leading organizations to localize the program.
France
In France, Instagram partnered with Tralalere, Génération Numérique and e-Enfance, to create a resource that addresses the social pressure young people can sometimes face when spending time online. The toolkit addresses ways to have a positive and balanced experience when expressing themselves on social media.
There is also a version for parents to help them speak to the young people in their life about the pressure to be perfect that can sometimes be felt. We also partnered with BRUT to bring the tips in the toolkit to life on their Instagram account.
Australia
Instagram has partnered with The Butterfly Foundation in Australia to create a campaign for young people about positive body image and authentic sharing on Instagram.
United Kingdom
In the UK, Instagram partnered with Internet Matters and Childnet to create a toolkit that addresses the social pressure young people can sometimes face and how to have a positive and balanced experience when expressing themselves on social media.
Germany
In Germany, Instagram partnered with Juuport and Bravo to create a scrapbook that encourages young people to think about how their time online impacts how they feel about themselves. The partnership with Bravo and Juuport features stickers, quizzes, and shareable content to get conversations started about the pressure to be perfect.
