Photographed By Jessica Nash.The rise of the #selfie has been one of the stranger side effects of the smartphone revolution. As we've become addicted to Instagram and Snapchat, we've morphed into a culture that expresses our collective identity through photo after photo of ourselves in every conceivable mood and situation. Narcissistic? Maybe. But, there's a positive takeaway from the phenomenon. Research has shown that people use selfies as a way of connecting with others and rejecting traditional stereotypes of beauty.
Of course, there's definitely an ugly side to our selfie obsession. Experts point to selfie culture as a major factor in the rise in plastic surgery among Americans under 30. And, the body-image issues don't stop there. Now, a new app called SkinneePix promises to make you look up to 15 pounds skinnier in your selfies.
The app costs 99 cents and appears to use an algorithm to stretch your photos to make you look five, 10, or 15 pounds lighter. According to its App Store description, "SkinneePix makes your pictures look thinner. SkinneePix makes your photos look good and helps you feel good. It’s not complicated. No one needs to know. It’s our little secret."
Honestly, we don't even know where to begin with this. Yes, it's essentially a photo-filter tool. But, we have a big problem with anything that further contributes to the pressure put on us (especially young girls, who are among the most prolific selfiers) to conform to a societal ideal of “thin." What do you think? Is it just us, or does this feel really icky? Sound off in the comments below.
(USA Today)