Anyone who’s no stranger to the picture-perfect world of Instagram knows that you have to take everything you see on there with a pinch of salt. Or rather a whole bag of it.

It only takes a glance at the heavily airbrushed photos and virtually unrecognizable selfies to see how saturated with editing and filters Instagram has become. This corner of Reddit known as the Instagram Reality subreddit has long been busting all the fakery online by sharing some of the biggest examples of faux pas found on social media.

Below we wrapped up a new batch of surreal pics from the same subreddit that show people’s obsession with looking perfect on the screen at whatever cost.

Also make sure to check out our previous article with more Instagram vs Reality pics.

#1 One Of My Fav Influencers

Image credits: ParchedCoverage

Instagram is notorious for the use of photo editing filters and lenses and it’s no secret that many influencers use them. There are many other apps and plugins that enhance a person’s appearance in the photographs uploaded there.

But there is a dark side of it that not many people who use these tools to achieve that picture-perfect ideal and seek unattainable beauty standards are willing to speak about. In 2019, a report showed that nearly half of Instagram influencers who were surveyed said their job as an influencer impacted their mental health, and 32% said it negatively impacted body image.

#2 These Actually Terrify Me!

Image credits: xBigSister1988x

#3 Found This On A Japanese Musician’s Page. I Don’t Even Know What’s Going On – Is The Red Haired Dude Ok?

Image credits: tofu-cutie

#4 Damn, We Got Some Fine Elbows Up In Here

Image credits: phanieee

Another study from 2017 ranked Instagram as the most dangerous social media platform in regards to young people’s mental health because along with other photo and video-based apps like Snapchat and TikTok, it offers filters and lenses that dramatically change the way someone looks.

The psychologists who research the influence of social media on mental health argue that many people feel upset that their real appearance doesn’t match with how they look online. This is extremely dangerous and can potentially cause body dysmorphia, a mental disorder in which someone fixates on and obsesses over one or more of their perceived physical flaws or defects, according to the Mayo Clinic.

#5 Let Me Just Tuck My Hair Behind My Eyelash Real Quick

Image credits: Tunelesshalo

#6 Her vs. His Insta Post

Image credits: Matis5

#7 How Delusional Are You From 1 To This Person?

Image credits: mmajamm

But this is far from the only threat lurking in the social media apps. Another danger is a threat to our privacy and security, something that many apps are extremely vulnerable in. So to find out about that side of the coin, Bored Panda spoke with a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN named Daniel Markuson.

Markuson unexplained that “photo editing apps usually demand various permissions for a person’s camera, photo library, location, microphone, and much more. Nobody would want any of this information to be accessed by a malicious third party, not to mention that some of those apps can even use a person’s camera without their consent.”

#8 Your Sleep Paralysis Demon Stood At The Edge Of Your Bed

Image credits: minimaude

#9 Difference From A Live Performance And A Video

Image credits: IloveLewisHamilton

#10 God I Hate Snapchat

Image credits: ILikeGreenPotatoes

In order to make sure that their privacy will not be compromised while editing their photos, Markuson argues, “users should pay attention to the legitimacy of the apps they choose to download from the app store.”

Markuson also listed some of the things that they should consider before downloading an app: “Photo editing apps are non-essential. The fewer apps a person has, the less data they collect and store.” Markuson’s advice is as follows: “if you can edit your photos on social media apps, like Instagram – do so.”

#11 I’ve Never Seen A More Accurate Description

Image credits: stupidpoopoohead

#12 This One Made Me Laugh!

Image credits: adullploy

#13 This ‘Influencer’ Claims She Only Uses Filters To Adjust The Colours. Instagram On Left, Reality On Right

Image credits: Emily5099

Moreover, Markuson reminds everyone that some of the top-ranked apps collect their users’ data and later use it for marketing or malicious purposes. “Read the Terms of Service before using the app,” he suggested.

Another important thing is to pay attention to permission demanded by the app. “Your photo editing app doesn’t need to know where you are when you edit your photos, or who is on your contact list.”

Markuson concluded that “the safe choice would be to use apps created by trustworthy, well-known companies, which are known to be more responsible with their users’ data.”

#14 Everyone Looks Normal Except

Image credits: StormTank40

#15 Youtuber Who Always Looks Different In Each Of Her Pictures

Image credits: MedSkewlgate

#16 Asian Photoshopping

Image credits: ParchedCoverage

#17 What She Look Like vs. Instagram

Image credits: Constant_Audience842

#18 Yeah…

Image credits: Mattias504

#19 Imagine Looking Like #2 And Still Feeling The Need To Filter Yourself Into Oblivion

Image credits: Utdredangel

#20 Same Person, Right?

Image credits: JollyError373

#21 Saw This Guy On Tinder. Looks Like He Photoshopped Someone Else’s Head On His Body

Image credits: Kitkatkatty

#22 You’re Id Card Won’t Lie

Image credits: TheWhaleEgg

#23 Something About Her Head Just Seems Off

Image credits: theresazuluonmystoep

#24 Some Editing May Have Taken Place

Image credits: BrownBobbies

#25 This Hair Stylist Adding Filters After His Work

Image credits: kellyatta

#26 Small Face, Weird Big Fingers Wtf !

Image credits: josuke2233

#27 I Cried Laughing. Can You See It?

Image credits: DatBishStoopid

#28 Before And “After”. Based Off An “8 Week Study”, Yet Has 3 Pimples In The Exact Same Spot With No Change In Size Or Color. I Really Hate Misleading Ads

Image credits: Believemeimlyingxx

#29 Popular Tiktoker Claims She Uses No Filters

Image credits: Utdredangel

#30 That’s Her Strong Arm

Image credits: 27littlebears

#31 Why Do They Think We Don’t Know What They Look Like…

Image credits: happilykoala

#32 Do The Wavy Leg!!

Image credits: lxwmsfw

#33 Also A Case Of Ig vs. Reality

Image credits: BoogerButter29

#34 Skin Texture We Don’t Know Her

Image credits: sugar_daddy_madi

#35 I – Um-

Image credits: SinuateTenesmus778

#36 From Skinny To Slenderman

Image credits: Domestica

#37 Zoom In On The Nose

Image credits: trash_bj

#38 Probably One Of The Worst I’ve Ever Seen. And All Of Her Photos Look Like This And No One Calls Her Out For It

Image credits: Blondiee_8

#39 Seen On Ig Explore Page

Image credits: skychedelic

#40 Just A Tad Bit Heavy On The Hips, Just A Tad Bit

Image credits: shantiteuta

#41 Look Guys My Waist Is The Same Size As My Arms!

Image credits: ofeybuns

#42 Pic vs. Video, Both Posted By Her. She’s Already So Skinny To Begin With /:

Image credits: sunmodelsss

#43 I Can’t Believe She Posted This…

Image credits: Blawaan

#44 The Entire Profile Is Like This. Are Normally Shaped Heads Out Of Fashion?

Image credits: GuinnessTheBestBoi

#45 It’s Like Her Hair Is Afraid To Touch Her Butt

Image credits: Brewmeiser

#46 Her Waist Is Smaller Than Her Head

Image credits: Olgina87

#47 Looks Like A Minecraft Wall And Door

Image credits: XDividigJokerX

#48 Actually Found One In The Wild. While Scrolling Pinterest. Look At Her Waist!

Image credits: punkjuliette

#49 When You Mutilate Your Crotch For The Sake Of A Thigh Gap. (Also, Everything Else)

Image credits: poncey-

#50 We’ve All Seen Face Smoothing, But The Clone Stamp Arm Gone Wrong??

Image credits: raybancoolness

Source: boredpanda.com