Of the participants surveyed, an average of 13% indicated that they were likely or very likely to stand on the edge of a cliff to increase their Instagram followers. Photo: Freepik
Social media is a great way to share our lives and keep in touch with friends and family. But how much would you risk for online engagement with your audience?
American study Death By Instagram Fueled Selfies: A Survey Of 1,233 Instagram Users (Matthew H. Nash et al, The Swift Test, 2023) reveals that “people are willing to engage in risky behaviour for social media validation”.
According to lead researcher Matthew H. Nash, “there is a darker side of social media and dangerous trends are getting more common on social media”.
“We discovered that one in five (20%) Instagram users with over 1,000 followers have been injured or know someone personally who has been injured or died while taking a photo for Instagram,” says Nash.
In the study, 1,233 active Instagram users located in the US aged 18 to 40 were surveyed to gain insight on how users interact with social media and the connection between engagement and risky behaviour, he explains.
While our survey was specific to the Instagram app, it’s reasonable to draw conclusions about other social media sites such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, and more when discussing high-risk behaviour and social media validation, he says.
In the process of conducting this survey, we also compiled a comprehensive and up-to-date database of 399 selfie deaths and 76 injuries across 49 countries worldwide (Global Death by Selfie Database & Statistics), he adds. These included death through falls, accidents (train, car), lightning, electrocution, firearms, drowning, wild animals, and even "murder over a selfie" (attacked and killed for taking a selfie with a stranger).
Key findings
Taking a selfie in the middle of a street full of traffic isn't a good idea. Photo: The Swift Test
The study revealed that of the Instagram users surveyed, 10% have been injured or personally know someone who has been injured or died while taking a picture for Instagram or other social media, 10% are willing to risk their safety while taking a photo of themselves or someone else if it meant a guaranteed increase in Instagram followers, and 13% would stand next to the edge of a cliff if it meant an increase in followers.
Also, those who were "regulars" on social media (posted selfies at least once a week or more), were 220% more likely to put themselves at risk for a guaranteed increase in Instagram followers.
Participants were asked: “Have you ever gotten injured while taking a photo for Instagram or other social media?” and “Do you know someone personally who has gotten injured or died while taking a photo for Instagram or other social media?”
It was discovered that "one in 10 have been injured or knows someone personally who has been injured or died while taking pictures for social media”.
This percentage rose dramatically for those who have over 1,000 followers: 20% of Instagram users with over a thousand followers know someone who has been injured or died or has personally been injured themselves while taking selfies for social media, he highlights.
Age and gender also seem to play a factor.
14.5% of 18-to-24-year-olds know someone who has died or been injured or has been injured themselves for Instagram. 11.3% of men across all demographics know someone who has died or been injured, compared to 8.8% of women.
Age is not a surprising factor, as adolescents are historically prone to risky behaviour compared to those who are older, and the impact of social media on adolescent mental health and dangerous behaviour is currently being evaluated by the psychiatric and scientific community, he says.
Survey participants were asked: “How likely are you to stand near the edge of a cliff for a photo of yourself or someone else if it meant you would be guaranteed to double your current number of Instagram followers within a week of posting?”
Deaths related to falling off of cliffs and other scenic landmarks are happening more often as a result of risky behaviour associated with social media.
Of the participants surveyed, an average of 13% indicated that they were likely or very likely to stand on the edge of a cliff to increase their Instagram followers.
Instagram users that posted selfies at least once a week were 2.3 times more likely than average to engage in this behaviour. 28% of women with over a thousand Instagram followers and 26% of men with over a thousand followers indicated that they would stand next to a cliff for a photo, which are both over twice as likely as the average participant, he says.
The majority of people surveyed said they “feel a rush when receiving more likes than average on Instagram photos”
Survey participants were asked: “How much do you agree or disagree with the statement ‘I feel a rush when I receive more likes than average on my Instagram photos’?”
61% of participants said they agree or strongly agree with this, which isn’t surprising because social media is engineered to increase dopamine production, says Nash.
Staying safe
The study says that there is a darker side of social media and dangerous trends are getting more common on social media. Photo: The Swift Test
Social media is increasingly important as a means to keep in touch (with friends and family as well as current trends), market products and services, and create awareness on important issues but we need to practise safety when creating content or posting this content online.
"What’s considered ‘instagrammable’ has shifted dramatically from brunch with friends and beautiful sunsets to sometimes dangerous stunts and trends that keep young people interested but might not be safe. And while Instagram is often considered the originator of potentially risky behaviour for social media, other apps such as Snapchat, Reddit and TikTok have also been featuring risky stunts and trends," says Nash.
He emphasises that there are ways to “take the perfect picture and stay alive to post it”.
“Follow posted guidelines and instructions because threats aren’t always immediately apparent. Do a quick safety check (weather, wildlife, etc) before being distracted by your phone/camera. Don’t assume something such as a tree, rock, etc is sturdy because accidents can happen. If taking photos with an animal, especially wildlife, don’t assume they are docile or friendly. They could behave unpredictably and strike without warning, especially dangerous animals.
"Don’t shoot while driving or walking around. Don’t go alone but go with a trusted person who can not only help you stay safe but also take pictures for you too. Always have an emergency backup plan just in case. "And finally, it’s not just taking selfies but posting them, that might also pose a risk. This is especially true where posting photos of children is concerned because it can put them in danger of online predators such as pedophiles since identifying information such as names, schools, routines, and other locations can be easily obtained from pictures and captions posted online, he concludes.
