Is Social Media Really A Free Space?

We're always rooting for self-expression...especially on the internet. But a friendly and important—reminder to proceed with caution.

- Tarini Manchanda

Isn't social media a bit like a toxic relationship you can't get enough of? You crave validation, you pursue the chase, you do everything you can to look good, you immerse yourself into it...and yet you're never fully satisfied. It can be liberating and stifling, indulgent and intoxicating everything all at once.

But more often than not, you are left wondering if it's actually good for you, or if you could simply find better things to do.

Is social media a free space where anything goes, where one can say whatever their heart desires? For the purpose of this piece, assume when I say social media I mean Instagram-a platform I am familiar with and create 'non-controversial' fashion content on. My own journey with social media has had its own trials and tribulations. I certainly felt freer back in 2011 as a user when the epitome of 'aesthetic was overexposed photographs with polaroid frames. Now, as a creator in 2024, I am hyper aware of being surveilled-both by the app and by my audience.