MOSCOW, February 2, 2022. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) jointly with Dove presents the findings of a survey on the use of social media filters among teenage girls.
Young girls aged 13-17 give 7.05 out of 10 scores (medium high scores) assessing their own appearance. More than half of them give high scores to their appearance ranging from 7 to 10 (63%); 28%, average scores (4-6 scores); 8%, low scores.
Most of girls would like to change something in their appearance (82%). In 2021, those were more likely girls aged 14-17 (94%).Fifteen-year-old girls are more eager to change something in their appearance (90%); 17-year-olds are least likely to do this (74%).
Those girls who would like to change something often point to tummy (41%), waist (40%), hips (30%), and legs (29%). Every fourth female respondent is not happy with her nose (25%) and glutes (24%); 23%, breast; 22%, hair. The 2020 survey proves these preferences.
Half of surveyed girls have an ideal of beauty, someone they want to look like (55%). In 2020, almost all the respondents aged 14-17 said they had an ideal of beauty (98%). Twenty-six percent of respondents would like to look like Angelina Jolie (5%), Zendaya (5%), Kylie Jenner (3%), Audrey Hepburn (2%), Ariana Grande (3%). Respondents also cited men such as blogger Dima Maslennikov (7%), members of BTS (5%), Arseny Popov (3%).
Social media filters: right or trendy
Forty-six percent of teenage girls who post their photos on social media use photo effects and filters. In 2020, girls aged 14-17 used filters more often than others (53%). Every fifth respondent (19%) does not post photos on social media. Those who are reluctant to share their own photos online are 13-year-olds (29%) and girls with low appearance self-esteem (1-3 scores — 35%).
Girls using filters say they do it to enhance their appearance (38%); 36% of respondents use them to improve the quality of the shot. When asked why other people use filters, most of respondents say it is because they lack self-confidence (54%).
Views of girls and people surrounding them related to photo filters are moderately positive. Teenage girls have neutral (58%) or positive (39%) views on using photo filters and masks in social media posts. More than half of girls using filters or masks say that people surrounding them are indifferent towards posting pictures with filters (54%); one-third of respondents report that people in their circle view photo filters positively (37%). Girls’ parents often have indifferent (62%) or positive 25%) views on posting pictures with filters.
Most of girls consider that posting photos with filters is normal (85%). The 17-year-old girls are less likely to consider it normal (77%).
Forty-four percent of girls think that photo filters change the way a person really looks like; 32% have the opposite stance – filters help enhance natural beauty and uncover individuality. Every fourth girl remains undecided (24%).
Girls’ opinions on using photo filters: online discussion results
The results of the online discussion suggest that those who report using filers and masks have an average age of 8 years. Respondents first became familiar with filters when registering with Instagram and Snapchat or from the stories and recommendations of friends.
During the online forum the girls were discussing famous people they would like to look like, Participants repeatedly emphasized that an ideal of beauty is not necessarily related to external beauty. People they look up to motivate them in different life situations and act as behavior models.
All-Russian online survey was conducted in January 12, 2022 and commissioned by Dove in Russia. A total of 800 girls aged 13-17 (upon parental consent) in all federal districts (at least 40 regions) were interviewed. Method: quota-based online survey. The margin of error does not exceed 3.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Online forum was conducted in December 2021. A two-day-long discussion involved 26 girls aged 13-17 form five Russian cities sing social media networks.
Please assess your appearance on a 1 to 10 scale, with 1 being “unattractive appearance” and 10 “attractive appearance” (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total girls surveyed) | |
| Total respondents |
Assessment 1-3 | 8 |
Assessment 4-6 | 28 |
Assessment 7-10 | 63 |
Please assess your appearance on a 1 to 10 scale, with 1 being “unattractive appearance” and 10 “attractive appearance” (closed-ended question, one answer, average) | ||
| 2020 | 2022 |
Average | 7.43* | 7.05 |
*The 2020 data are for reference; in 2020 girls aged 14-17 were surveyed, in 2022, girls aged 13-17.
Would you like to change anything in your appearance, or not? If so, what exactly? (open-ended question, % of total respondents) | |||||||
| 2020* | 2022 | Aged 13 | Aged 14 | Aged 15 | Aged 16 | Aged 17 |
Yes | 94 | 82 | 82 | 86 | 90 | 79 | 74 |
No | 6 | 14 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 18 | 20 |
Don’t know | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
* The 2020 data are for reference; in 2020 girls aged 14-17 were surveyed, in 2022, girls aged 13-17.
Would you like to change anything in your appearance, or not? If so, what exactly? (open-ended question, % of total respondents) | ||||
| Total respondents | Appearance assessment 1-3 | Appearance assessment 4-6 | Appearance assessment 7-10 |
Yes | 82 | 87 | 93 | 77 |
No | 14 | 1 | 4 | 20 |
Don’t know | 4 | 11 | 3 | 3 |
Do you have an ideal of beauty; is there a person you would like to look like? (closed-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2020* | 2022 |
Yes | 98 | 55 |
No | 2 | 45 |
* The 2020 data are for reference; in 2020 girls aged 14-17 were surveyed, in 2022, girls aged 13-17.
You’ve said that there is a person you would like to look like. Who is this person? (answers to open-ended question, one answer, % of surveyed girls who have an ideal of beauty) | |
| Total respondents |
A famous figure (actress, singer, etc.) | 26 |
Mother | 13 |
Blogger | 12 |
I myself | 12 |
Classmate, peer | 9 |
Grandmother | 1 |
Other | 7 |
Don’t know | 21 |
You’ve said that there is a person you would like to look like. Who is this person? (answers to open-ended question, one answer, % of those who would like to look like a famous person) | |
| Total respondents |
Angelina Jolie | 5 |
Zendaya | 5 |
BTS | 5 |
Kim Jennie | 4 |
Arseny Popov | 3 |
Alina Olesheva | 3 |
Ariana Grande | 3 |
Kylie Jenner | 3 |
Meryem Uzerli | 2 |
Audrey Hepburn | 2 |
Actor/ actress/ character (no precision) | 2 |
Bang Chan | 2 |
Alena Shvets | 2 |
Kim Tae-hyung | 2 |
Princess Diana | 2 |
Lalisa Manoban | 2 |
Park Ji-min | 2 |
Talulah Riley | 1 |
Coreans | 1 |
Katya Adushkina | 1 |
Other | 52 |
You’ve said that there is a person you would like to look like. Who is this person? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who would like to look like a blogger (12%)) | |
| Total respondents |
Daria Kaplan | 9 |
Anya Pokrov | 9 |
Dima Maslennikov | 7 |
Relative/ acquaintance/ colleague | 5 |
Julia Gavrilina | 5 |
Valya Karnaval | 5 |
Marousia Klimova (Vasha Marousia) | 4 |
Katya Adushkina | 2 |
Other | 53 |
Would you like to change anything in your appearance? And if so, what exactly? (open-ended question, % of total respondents) | ||
| 2020* | 2022 |
Tummy | 50 | 41 |
Facial skin* | -- | 43 |
Weight* | 47 | -- |
Waist | 46 | 40 |
Hips | 34 | 30 |
Legs* | -- | 29 |
Nose | 33 | 25 |
Glutes | 33 | 24 |
Breast | 30 | 23 |
Hair | 39 | 22 |
Arms* | -- | 19 |
Lips | 23 | 17 |
Cheekbones | 17 | 16 |
Chin | 18 | 15 |
Eyes/ eyelids* | -- | 11 |
To treat skin/ to get rid of pimples* | -- | 2 |
Teeth* | -- | 2 |
No, I would not like to change anything in my appearance | 6 | 14 |
Other | 6 | 1 |
Don’t know | 1 | 4 |
* The 2020 data are for reference; in 2020 girls aged 14-17 were surveyed, in 2022, girls aged 13-17. The list of things respondents wanted to change slightly differed.
Let’s talk about special filters –special social media programs and apps used to change the appearance. Do you post your photos on social media, or not? If so, do you use filters/effects for your photos? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||||||
| 2020* | 2022 | Aged 13 | Aged 14 | Aged 15 | Aged 16 | Aged 17 | Appearance assessment 1-3 | Appearance assessment 4-6 | Appearance assessment 7-10 |
Yes, I use filters | 53 | 46 | 41 | 49 | 46 | 47 | 43 | 45 | 47 | 45 |
No, I don’t use filters | 29 | 31 | 21 | 30 | 34 | 30 | 36 | 16 | 26 | 35 |
I don’t post photos on social media | 15 | 19 | 29 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 35 | 24 | 15 |
Don’t know | 3 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
* The 2020 data are for reference; in 2020 girls aged 14-17 were surveyed, in 2022, girls aged 13-17.
What is the main reason why you use filters for photos? (open-ended question, % of those respondents who use filters) | |
| Respondents using filters |
To improve appearance/ masking skin defects | 22 |
Lack of self-confidence/ self-discontent | 16 |
To improve the quality of the shot/ to improve the shot/ beautiful photo | 20 |
To make the shot look more expressive / unusual shot | 16 |
I like to use them | 5 |
Its’s fun | 1 |
Other | 5 |
Don’t know | 35 |
In your opinion, what is the main reason why other people use filters for their photos? (open-ended question, % of total respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
Ashamed of their appearance/faces/ they make changes to their appearance/ complexes/ lack of self-confidence | 54 |
A nicer look/ quality and brightness | 19 |
They just like to use filters / for themselves | 6 |
Fashion and beauty industry/ conformance to standards | 3 |
To attract attention/ they want to be liked | 3 |
For fun | 2 |
Fear of condemnation/ public opinion | 2 |
Desire to express emotions / mood/ atmosphere | 1 |
Desire to spruce up the reality | 1 |
Other | 2 |
Don’t know | 33 |
And how do your parents perceive posting filtered photos? (% of respondents using filters and masks, closed-ended question, one answer) | |
| Total respondents |
Positively (they say that they liked the filter or mask / they ask what filer was used) | 25 |
Indifferently (they do not comment) | 62 |
Negatively (they condemn it, they laugh at it) | 5 |
Don’t know | 9 |
How do people in your circle (boyfriend, friends, acquaintances) perceive posting filtered photos? (% of respondents using filters and masks, closed-ended question, one answer) | |
| Total respondents |
Positively (they say that they liked the filter or mask / they ask what filer was used) | 37 |
Indifferently (they do not comment) | 54 |
Negatively (they condemn it, they laugh at it) | 4 |
Don’t know | 5 |
What is your opinion on using filters and masks in social media posts containing photos? (% of total respondents, closed-ended question, one answer) | |
| Total respondents |
Neutral | 58 |
Positive | 39 |
Negative | 2 |
Don’t know | 1 |
In your opinion, are photos with filters and masks normal, or not? (% of total respondents, closed-ended question, one answer) | |
| Total respondents |
Normal | 85 |
Not normal | 4 |
Both yes and no / fifty-fifty | 1 |
Another response | 4 |
Don’t know | 6 |
Below are pairs of statements about filters for photos. Please choose the one you agree with the most. If you find it hard to make a choice, think about situations that happen more often. (% of total respondents, closed-ended question, one answer) | ||||
| Total respondents | Appearance assessment 1-3 | Appearance assessment 4-6 | Appearance assessment 7-10 |
Filters change the way a person looks, distort natural beauty | 44 | 36 | 48 | 43 |
Filters help uncover individuality, enhance human beauty | 32 | 38 | 25 | 33 |
Don’t know | 24 | 26 | 27 | 23 |