Instagram as a source of fashion information and community engagement
Over the past decade, Instagram has become increasingly significant as a visual social media platform that has revolutionised visual culture.
Research Opportunities
Summary
It has been strongly linked to aesthetic sectors like fashion, where brands now see Instagram as a key feature of their communication strategy. Its significance has heightened further throughout the pandemic where the boundaries between online and offline have blurred and the distinction between what is virtual and what is “real” has become increasingly complex.
Recent research by the proposer has revealed that during this period we have seen people engaging in more “serious” subjects and debates on Instagram, for example around politics and health information, and examples of this engagement include the Black Lives Matter movements, the sustainability agenda and discourse surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
A preliminary survey of Instagram users explored information behaviour on Instagram and revealed some of the complexities around credibility as well as a blurring of information and opinion on the platform. Instagram was recognised as a simulated physical space but one which is “exaggerated” and hyperreal.
Qualitative research exploring these issues would provide valuable insights into people’s behaviour and experiences and how Instagram is shaping these in a world of uncertainty but where information and opinion are rife. The research could be focused on a particular case example of the candidate’s choosing or explore the topic more generally.
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