UK Education Secretary Asks Celebrities to Take Fewer Selfies

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Category: Education/Family

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. body image / ˈbɒd i ˈɪm ɪdʒ / (n) – a person’s opinion of his or her body
    Example:

    Exercising and wearing clothes you like can improve your confidence and body image.


  2. call on (someone) / kɔl ɒn / (phrasal) – to ask or demand someone to do something
    Example:

    Teachers are calling on the government to raise their salaries.


  3. pressure / ˈprɛʃ ər / (v) – to force someone into doing something
    Example:

    Unrealistic expectations may pressure kids to work too hard.


  4. warped / wɔrpt / (adj) – twisted; not natural
    Example:

    Miseducation about some issues can cause people to have warped ideas of what is true.


  5. insecure / ˌɪn sɪˈkyʊər / (adj) – constantly worried or doubtful about one’s self-worth
    Example:

    Comparing a child’s achievements with someone else’s can make him feel insecure.


Article

Read the text below.

On Stop Cyberbullying Day, UK Education Secretary Damian Hinds [DEYM-yuhn HAHYNDZ] appealed to celebrities to use social media responsibly.


The secretary particularly asked celebrities to take fewer selfies, as these photos affect the body image of young people. He also called on celebrities to be honest about how their selfies have been edited. According to Hinds, selfies pressure the youth to have a perfect body and even make eating disorders seem natural. Hinds explained that young people tend to have a warped idea of what is normal because of the unrealistic photos they see online.


Hinds added that teenagers may also develop depression or be subject to online abuse because of unrealistic standards set by celebrity selfies. Prior to Hind’s speech, the Mental Health Foundation reported that 40% of teenagers are insecure about their bodies because of their friends’ comments. Moreover, a separate organization found that England has the worst case of online bullying in the world.  These reports are alarming because young people tend to spend so much of their time online.


In the same speech, Hinds also urged social media companies and online streaming sites to responsibly monitor their content. He specifically called out sites such as Instagram and Snapchat because these give celebrities the perfect platform to post selfies.


Still in line with his advocacy, Hinds also posted on his social media account a plea to celebrities to make their posts less about their image. He asked them to use their platforms to educate young followers about travel and the beauty of nature instead of just posting selfies.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• Do you think Hinds’s call for fewer selfies will have a positive effect on teenagers’ body image? Why or why not?
• How do you think celebrities can use their platforms to educate their young followers (e.g. organize online campaigns, charity involvement)? Discuss.

Discussion B

• Why is it important for celebrities to use their social media to educate young people? Discuss.
• Aside from positive body image, what do you think are some important topics that young people should be educated on in the era of social media (e.g. online safety)? Discuss.