Thu Feb 15

Why banning gym selfies could do us all a lot of good

Written by: Samuel Cornell, PhD Candidate - Social Media and Communication, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney

Taking selfies to document daily life is now a completely normalised activity ^[1] across all ages and demographics ^[2].

At the same time, however, selfies are often maligned ^[3] – particularly in specific contexts such as at places of worship, sacred sites, or when animals are made unwitting participants ^[4].

It’s easy to see why taking selfies could be considered inappropriate in such cases. But there’s been much debate about their acceptability in a more casual and frequented arena: the gym.

Lately, gyms the world over have been pushing back against selfies and influencer-culture taking over their spaces, citing ^[5] a risk of injury to patrons, among other concerns.

When considered alongside a rise in toxic influencer culture and widespread body-image insecurity, it could be argued banning gym selfies is a positive step.

Self-obsession in the digital age

People’s obsession with their own image is ancient. One of the most famous Greek myths is that of Narcissus ^[6], who gave us the word “narcissist”.

This is the tale of a young man captivated by his own image. Like many Greek myths, the story was meant to serve as a lesson for immoral behaviour.

Yet research shows narcissism is not only very prevalent ^[7] in the modern age, in many cases it’s lucratively rewarded. This explains the rise of social media influencing ^[8].

The potential rewards of “influencer-level” fame push many people to take risks for social media content. This can sometimes lead to injury or even death ^[9], to the point that it’s now considered a public health problem ^[10].

Various travel destinations ^[11] are banning tourists from taking selfies ^[12] in popular spots to reduce issues of safety and overcrowding.

Gyms push back against selfies

Gym selfies ^[14] can be tied particularly closely to influencer culture. They have a long history on Instagram, the platform that gave birth to fitness influencers ^[15]. Influencers posting gym selfies will typically gain a lot of views and likes, and in some cases may attract mass followings.

A popular gym chain in Melbourne recently complained of influencers engaging in “entitled and selfish behaviour ^[16]” that “should not be tolerated”. Much of this has stemmed from these patrons seemingly concentrating more on generating social media content than their actual performance in the gym ^[17].

This particular gym ^[18] is now giving members the option to buy a “media pass” if they wish to take photos while working out. The rules primarily target influencers who film their workouts, rather than regular gym-goers who exercise for themselves.

Other chains around the world have also banned the use of tripods ^[19], which could be considered a tripping hazard. Some have prohibited taking photos or videos ^[20] on gym premises altogether.

These establishments often cite safety and privacy concerns ^[21]. For instance, we’ve seen several examples of regular gym-goers ^[22], often filmed without their consent, fall on the receiving end of abuse or public shaming ^[23] when they’ve ended up in gym selfies or videos posted online.

Research shows gym selfies can also influence people’s motivations for exercising ^[24]. Study participants reported becoming more conscious of their own bodies when they saw gym selfies online.

Self-care in the social media age

Banning selfies and influencer behaviour at gyms marks a shift away from the previous encouragement of self-promotional and performative behaviour ^[25] that many gyms became famous for on Instagram ^[26]. It suggests people are beginning to acknowledge the detrimental aspects of such anti-social exhibitionism.

In today’s world, the line between personal and performative action is becoming increasingly blurred. And social media are a potent driver of the latter. In a sense, social media’s pervasive presence in our lives has turned many of us into marketers ^[27] who live our lives out for public consumption.

Online, many of us face near-constant comparisons with others. This promotes an obsession with self-image and pushes us to reach social media-worthy levels ^[28] of muscularity or leanness.

Research shows ^[29] adolescents in particular can have negative mental health outcomes as a result of self-image comparisons on social media.

These comparisons have led to a culture that promotes (often risky) body modification ^[30] and enhancement behaviours ^[31], including steroid use ^[32] and exercise addiction.

Cosmetic procedures such as botox, fillers and reconstruction surgery ^[33] have also boomed in popularity. An even darker side reveals an increase in eating disorders and body dysmorphia ^[34], particularly among young women and adolescent boys ^[35].

Exercising for ourselves

We’re seeing a growing number of fitness influencers leverage their online social capital ^[36] to monetise their bodies. At the same time, these individuals wield significant power within communities ^[37] (both online and offline) and have an opportunity to shape norms around fitness and body image.

Recently, a very popular bodybuilding influencer ^[38] called the Liver King – who had claimed to be “natural” – was found to be taking steroids ^[39].

This scandal underscores the need for strategies to reduce harm, and increase public health messaging within digital fitness culture. Banning selfies and harmful influencer antics in the gym might be a start.

It’s not just about preventing accidents such as trips and falls; it could have the added benefit of making influencers rethink their behaviours, tone down self-promotion and reinvigorate a sense of camaraderie among gym-goers ^[40].

It might just be the beginning of people exercising for themselves and nobody else.