Shay Mitchell thinks social media can be "really dangerous".
The ‘Pretty Little Liars’ star uses her Instagram as a "highlight reel" and worries about how other people perceive similar sites and how it might affect their own self-confidence.
She told InStyle magazine: "I think we all have to realise and recognise the fact that Instagram and social media in general is, a majority of the time, our highlight reel – it’s certainly my highlight reel. That’s not my everyday life. Now, are those real life moments? Yes, absolutely. But are they heightened? Have those photos been taken 5,000 times to get the right angle? Do I have makeup, lighting? One hundred percent.
"It can get really dangerous if you start to believe that social media is realistic. If you can go into it knowing there’s filters behind each and every one of those photos, or this is a photo that was professionally shot, then I feel like it allows yourself to be less harsh on your own photos. Everybody’s life in general isn’t maybe always what it seems."
Meanwhile, the 31-year-old actress previously admitted she battles insecurities every day but tries her best to stay positive and give everything a go at least once.
She said: "I’m more confident and optimistic than not. Every one of us has insecurities. I have a whole bunch of them, but I don’t dwell on them. Instead, I focus on my strengths. After all, what’s the worst thing that can happen if you try something new and it doesn’t work out? So what? You don’t know what you’re going to be good at until you do it! The same goes for travel: Explore the world; don’t be afraid of it. Get out there and be adventurous – that’s my life motto."
Shay Mitchell: Social media can be dangerous
