This article argues that spending time online can boost your self-esteem. It means that unlike a mirror that shows who we really are; Facebook can show a more positive version of ourselves.
Researchers at Cornell University, who conducted the study, say looking at Facebook, where we all tend to put our best digital foot forward, appears to provide a quick ego boost.
The study however has only measured self-esteem of people watching their own Facebook profiles. It does not talk about the effects of using Facebook to look at other people’s profiles.
I do not know many people how just use Facebook to promote themselves. Most people also use Facebook to keep track of friends. The danger comes in when we start to compare our profile to other’s profiles. The quick ego boost from you own profile can easily turn into the opposite, as all people tend to show their best side. This creates a world where people appear to be more perfect than they really are.