News Digital Awareness with the Head Girls Team 19.03.2020

On Tuesday morning the Head Girls Team gave an assembly to Year 11 students on digital awareness – from unrealistic body standards to protecting your digital identity.

The assembly began by highlighting the dangers of photo-editing programmes such as Photoshop, with two near-identical pictures of actor Jennifer Lawrence that had been edited to promote unrealistic body expectations. The Head Girls Team asked their audience to consider the mental health implications of seeing images like this and shared the shocking statistic 70% of women aged 18 to 35 edit their images before posting them on social media. They also highlighted the dangers of advertising, and in particular, social media influencers who promote products and behaviours that are dangerous to our well-being; such as appetite-suppressing products and dehydrating ‘wellness’ drinks. The Head Girls Team also implored students to protect their online identities by offering good practical advice to stay safe, sensible, and to think before posting – reminding them that what is posted on their accounts may have serious ramifications for their future job prospects.

The girls concluded the assembly by recommending some positive and diverse accounts to follow on social media that promote body positivity. They  reminded their audience that social media should be a positive addition to lives, and if it’s causing more stress than good, to consider taking a step back and switching off for a while.