ENSC 162: The Selfish Selfie vs. The Sustainable Instagram Snapshot

This interdisciplinary research study explores the interaction between communication studies and environmental science. This study explores the debate on the impact on the use of social media, geotagging, and eco-tourism. For the purpose of this study, Instagram was the chosen social media platform. Studies have been conducted in the usage of Instagram as well as the geotagging filter. Once the researchers began looking within Instagram for examples of social media and eco-tourism, an interesting debate arose. Researchers began exploring the two ways of thought on the use of Instagram, geo-tagging, and eco-tourism. It revealed the problems with geo-tagging and Instagram, including: Poachers who see locations on Instagram, the overuse and mismanagement for land, and blatant disrespect to nature. While the advantages of geo-tagging, Instagram, and ecotourism is the ability to build a platform for conservation that millions of people are able to interact with. Cautious geo-tagging can give awareness to particular parts of the world, and ethical eco-tourism can lead to a better understanding and appreciation for wildlife. From the examples that have been utilized in this study, it is clear that there is a definite impact of the environment and that impact is decided by each individual every time they engage in Instagram, geo-tagging, and ecotourism. This study implies that the disadvantages and advantages surrounding this debate are far too complex to answer, but rather each individual has to answer it for themselves.