Hyperreality and social media: A content analysis of Instagram reels

Abstract

Social media has become a public sphere where perceptions and opinions are constructed by social media influencers using exaggerated representation. As Berger & Luckman (1966) argue, peoples reality is created and shaped by their belief systems and social interactions. Social media has become a major part of our lives as it has given the power to social media celebrities to construct their ideal version of reality. Social media users are influenced by representations on social media. As Jean Baudrillard (1981) has stated, in a hyper-real society, the representation of reality is more real than the reality itself. In this research paper, I have tried to analyze the relationship between social media content, the social construction of reality, and hyperreality concepts. The study is aimed at knowing how social media users are influenced by polished, and exaggerated representations on social media platforms.