Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas - Fringe 2023 Social Media and Teen Girls' Wellbeing

Take one top academic, some dangerous ideas, add one comedian and it’s the force of nature that is the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas (CODI).

Hosted by comedian Susan Morrison, and now in its eleventh year, CODI is sixty minutes of rapid-fire research from some of the finest minds in the country.

Teenage girls are excessively using social media, scrolling through tonnes of content marketing, taking filtered selfies and videos, and following latest trends. These activities are centred around teen girls constantly comparing themselves against others, using special effects to alter and ‘perfect’ their image on their socials. There are growing concerns as to what extent these practices are affecting their wellbeing, body image and general self-worth. Dr Kat Rezai (Edinburgh Napier University) discusses the consequences of excessive use of social media on teenage girls’ wellbeing, and why social media literacy workshops are essential.