The multifaceted issue involves psychological distress stemming from the use of online platforms, strategies for managing this distress, specific anxieties related to visual content sharing, actions taken to remove content, and subsequent feelings of remorse following content deletion. The phenomenon is often observed when individuals experience heightened self-consciousness and fear of negative judgment on social networking services, particularly those focused on image and video sharing. Examples include feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to present a perfect image, impulsively removing a published photograph, and then subsequently questioning the decision to delete it.
Addressing this concern is essential due to its impact on mental well-being and its growing prevalence in contemporary society. Understanding the underlying mechanisms and implementing effective coping mechanisms can mitigate negative emotional experiences. The rise of image-based social media platforms has intensified social comparison and contributed to the development of these anxieties. Historically, concerns about self-presentation existed before the advent of digital media, but online platforms have amplified these concerns by increasing audience size and immediacy of feedback.