Social media, creating online characters

 New car? New bike? New phone? Great job? Many friends? Attractive ?  Shopping spree?  All now shared on social media. If these items and experiences aren't shared, their existence can now be questioned. It seems a strange world where we now need to share all aspects of our life.  Needing to prove to the world that our existence on this planet is worthy. Social media now plants the norm of social rivalry. Social rivalry has always been present in societies the world over. But now it becomes greatly increased, social media enables rivalry to be stirred direct to ones computer. A rivalry that can lead people to feel underachieved, depressed, inadequate or inferior.

Another interesting aspect can be the construction of social comparisons. Users of social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn find themselves sharing their best (exaggerated) experiences. Whilst others compare their lifestyle to their own. Instead of concentrating on individual journeys, a user will find themselves comparing their journey with someone else’s. Jealousy, Anger, Happiness, Relief, and envy can all come from reading others experiences.

It is vitally important when using social media to treat every piece of information suspiciously, and none seriously. With strange mix’s of companies advertising, chain messages, lies, flaunting and the odd serious, honest posts/tweets. It is easy for many users of social media to feel inferior, due to the perceived social comparison. Although ad course online profiles are often a character created by the writer. A none realistic image of a person, certain traits can be manipulated and changed to be perceived differently. Therefore it seems rather bizarre to socially compare or rival an online character. A character that often has little similarities to a physical individual, with photoshopped, make up covered, edited pictures and slanted, flaunted posts created to plant the feeling of jealousy.

Question:

Should social media websites have a banner across the page reminding users: People on the screen may actually be physically less attractive or less happy with their life than they would like to know.....