BEAUTY STANDARD FOR WHOM? BLACK CHILDREN COMPETE FOR THE SCENE ON INSTAGRAM

Abstract

TIC Kids Online Brasil (2023) shows that 24% of respondents reported having started their internet connection in early childhood – this proportion was 11% in 2015. This reality is reflected in research conducted since 2012 by the Cetic.br , NIC.br , CGI.br . Research shows a growing trend in internet use in early childhood. Currently, according to data from these research agencies, 95% of the population aged 9 to 17 is an internet user in the country, with the cell phone being pointed out as the main access device for 97% of users. Regarding videos and the use of social networks, 88% of the children and adolescents interviewed have access to online videos, 78% said they have WhatsApp, 66% Instagram, 63% TikTok and 41% Facebook. It should be noted that black children occupy these spaces on digital social networks, but do not appear in the ranking of the largest channels or profiles on digital social networks, according to data from the Social Blade Platform (2022), being 'made invisible'. Black children – produce and share narratives with their peers and position themselves in different ways on different themes in digital social networks, such as Instagram. They teach while they learn. But how do black children reaffirm black beauty and their curly hair? How do they oppose hegemonic standards of beauty? How do they present themselves on Instagram? In order to problematize this phenomenon, we propose as an objective to understand the productions of black children and the positive narratives about black beauty on the social network Instagram, profile 'Duda Acaiaba' (@dudaacaiaba). We used the technique of observation and selection of images, in the months of May and June 2023. The conclusions showed that black children are on the scene on social networks praising black beauty. Duda Acaiaba's profile reaffirms black beauty: curly hair, dark skin, black eyes – in (re)educational processes through communication on digital platforms in confronting racism, prejudice and discrimination in childhood and through narratives teach other children to question their reality.