The early 20th century saw new forms of mechanical reproduction make their way into the cultural domains of society. While photography is now a recognized art form, associated with popular culture, this was no longer the case in the nineteenth century. Photography has long ceased to be reserved for the elite. Photography, now also an amateur practice, is no longer intended for special occasions. Popular photography, characterized by the selfie, has quickly become an everyday cultural habit. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Selfies are ubiquitous and widely present on social media platforms. However, the photographic self-portrait format is not a new idea. This format was actively shared and exchanged in the 19th century, marking the beginning of a new photographic era characterized by mass reproduction. In the early days of photography, (self)portraits were the most popular genre. Photographers imitated the style of painted portraiture, aligning themselves with the artists and the serious demeanor of painted portraits. This was done because the artistic claims of photography were often ignored. As mentioned, photographic skill was not seen as an artistic talent, since their technique was considered a mechanical reproduction of reality. While the selfie is thus related to the traditional photographic self-portrait, its contemporary attributes include metadata and the user's ability to alter the selfie with filters, enhancement tools, and other means. Furthermore, the instant circulation of an image via Instagram makes the selfie significantly different from its earlier photographic precursors, since, in Benjamin's time, the only way to see an image was in its printed form. With the ability to post your selfies online for all the world to see, you no longer have to wait for satisfaction. As Benjamin (2005) recalls, “one of the main tasks of art has always been to create a demand that could only be fully satisfied later”. This is no longer the case, as likes and comments allow for an immediate reaction. Posting images on Instagram can be understood as a constant exchange of instant interactions. Users can share their selfies and their followers can respond immediately via likes and comments. In June 2016, Instagram had over 500 million active users, which is more than the population of Europe at the time Benjamin wrote. Instagram, one of the youngest and most visually oriented social networks, focuses mainly on interacting with users and above all on sharing images and short videos on which different filters can be applied. Instagram was introduced in October 2010 and was purchased by Facebook in April 2012. Similar to the impact photography had on society in the 18th century, authenticity and authorship are questioned in this era, for example example, from digital manipulation methods. For Benjamin, mechanically reproducing an image destroys its connection with time and space. Scholars such as WJT Mitchell have also argued that in the contemporary digital age, editing software also breaks the connection with its original referent. Cropping, filtering, captioning and uploading Instagram photos has little to do with real life, time and place. The Instagram photo is a practice that is less about truthfully representing real life and more about enacting social rituals and conforming to audience expectations. These photos are taken with the idea that they will be altered, presented and then decontextualized by the.