Table 1.

Summary of the positive and negative influences of social media on weight stigma and body shape perceptions.

Negative	Positive
Lead to unintended censorship of activists and educators due to user-determined reporting systems and imperfect content moderation algorithms (57, 58).	Provide opportunities for the spread of social movements aimed at increasing body positivity, self-acceptance, and advocacy (59–63).
Expose individuals to a high degree of stigmatizing posts and comments without adequate filtering or flagging of potentially problematic content (64, 65).	Raise awareness for weight bias, stigmatization, and discrimination as increasingly common in popular culture (59).
Facilitate cyberbullying due to increased anonymity, lack of real consequences, and reach (66–68).	On public channels, provide easier opportunities to support individuals targeted by cyberbullying and reduce likelihood of bystander effects (69).
Increased weight dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and thin ideation, leading to internalization of weight stigma (65, 70–72).	Increase acceptance of diverse body sizes, self-esteem, and mood when body acceptance related advertising or content is viewed (73).
Lead to increased concerns about being judged by others, and emphasizing external determinants of self-worth (74, 75).	Provide opportunities for self-expression and identity formation (75).
Increase social isolation and anxiety due to the sheer volume of content, time demands, and perceived social obligations, and increasing opportunities for social exclusion (75).	Increase social inclusion among populations who would normally be marginalized in society, increasing feelings of belonging and well-being (75–78).
Inadvertent exposure to triggering news, events, and products that lead to negative affect (75).	Improve adherence and effectiveness of weight management interventions by increasing communication and social support, especially for those that lack in-person support systems (79–84).
Increase feelings for peer competition and augment the effect of peer competition on increased body dissatisfaction (75, 85).	Online interventions and social media campaigns may be more effective in reaching youth and adolescents who may be more technologically adept and for whom traditional intervention approaches have previously failed (70).