But first, Let me take a selfie
Selfies and social media seem to go hand in hand, like a match made in heaven. Snapchat and Instagram seem to be flooded with selfies. So much so there is even a song about taking selfies and using Instagram filters by the Chainsmokers appropriately called #selfie (The Chainsmokers 2015). The dominance of social media can be regarded as narcissistic (Murray 2015, p. 490). I admit I have taken my fair share of selfies and share them to social media. Events like my birthday, achievements like buying my first home and even on my wedding day; these moments were documented by me taking a selfie.
These days we connect to each other by sharing moments of our lives in photos on social media or videos. These photos have become an essential part of communication especially online with each other. Almost everyone has access to a camera from your phone, your computer or an actual camera.
Something that I learnt this week is an app called The French Girls App. I think the name comes from Titanic. However, it has become such a meme, even I have taken a photo of my friend whilst he was lying on a hospital bed waiting to be seen by a doctor for his torn achilles, blowing on a green whistle using the snapchat app outlining him and captioning it âdraw me like one of your French girls.â However, I digress. The French Girls App is about posting your selfie an having complete strangers draw a portrait of you (frenchgirlsapp 2014) but you get to keep your clothes on unlike Kate Winslet.
Tenor 2017
Highsnobiety 2019
Just like that Snapchat was dead. Snapchat has over 186 million daily users, generating over 10 billion views per day (Statista 2018), however Kylie Jenner is no longer one of them.
It was unavoidable that an app like Snapchat would be created with the release of mobile phones with inbuilt cameras and readily available internet access. It became so normal to take a photo of every moment and share them instantly on your chosen social network. This method of story telling has become a staple in the way we communicate with each other.
The appeal of Snapchat was that images we posted only visible to other users for a short time, but itâs gone (Tillman & Betters 2018). Perfect for creeps to send photos of their unwanted genitalia. I joke but it is a serious issue. But just like Snapchatâs photo disappearing so is its popularity with one tweet from Kylie Jenner. Yes, we live in a world where one tweet from Kylie Jenner can cost your company $1.3 billion dollars (Highsnobiety 2019). Its scary to say but this is reality.
References
Frenchgirlsapp, 2014, viewed 27 27 January, 2019, <https://www.frenchgirlsapp.com/>.
Murray, D. C. (2015). Notes to self: the visual culture of selfies in the age of social media. Consumption Markets & Culture, 18(6), 490-516.
Highsnobiety 2019, Kylie Jennerâs Tweet Did Not Cost Snapchat $1.3 Billion, viewed 27 January, 2019, <https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/kylie-jenner-snapchat-tweet/>.
Statista 2018, Number of daily active Snapchat users from 1st quarter 2014 to 3rd quarter 2018 (in millions), Statista, viewed 6 January 2018, <https://www.statista.com/statistics/545967/snapchat-app-dau/>.
Tenor 2017, I Want You To Draw Me Like One Of Your French Girls GIF, viewed 27 January, 2019, <https://tenor.com/view/titanic-kate-winslet-leonardo-di-caprio-voglio-gif-8627264>.
Tillman, M & Betters, E 2018, âWhat is Snapchat, how does it work and what is it used for?â, Pocket-Lint, 27 September, viewed 6 January 2018, <https://www.pocket-lint.com/apps/news/snapchat/131313-what-is-snapchat-how-does-it-work-and-what-is-it-used-for>.
The Chainsmokers 2015, #selfie, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC.
I honestly do not understand the attraction of selfies. Maybe its an older thing, I have not aged gracefully. So sending pics of myself is not ideal. Maybe I could engage in the food pics and send them? Nope, my wife would kick my butt, she would know what I actually eat. Seriously though, the whole attraction of social media to me is that you cannot see me. Well not until we are very good friends.Â
Uncle WezÂ













