Too Close to Like?: How Social Media Influencers recast personal space between selfies and Instagram users

Abstract

A selfie, as a form of self-presentation, is known to display an “ideal” self. Selfies publicly posted on Instagram were analyzed to see if the size of faces in selfies affects the perceived privacy boundary between selfie takers and viewers, and eventually leads to social media users’ negative evaluation toward selfies. The data showed that close-up selfies were associated with fewer likes received from other users, while full shot selfies received more likes. Meanwhile, influencers with a high number of followers moderated the perception of privacy boundaries. Theoretical and practical implications of these phenomena are also discussed. © 2021 Central States Communication Association.