There are always some strange trends in the world of social media. Currently, everyone is talking about the so-called „0.5 selfie“. This is a classic selfie that seems to have somehow gone wrong technically. However, the alternative angle and the different camera angle in the „0.5 Selfie“ are quite intentional, so that these quite incomparable and oblique images are created. These are then uploaded to social media and go viral.
The trend relates primarily to self-images (so-called „selfies“) that are uploaded to various social media platforms, such as Instagram or TikTok. These are taken in a very specific format and can depict either one or several people.
However, what exactly a „0.5 selfie“ is and how it works, or what its history is, will be fully explained in the following article. Further a social classification is to be made and criticisms to this topic are called.
Definition of the term „0.5 Selfie
The term „0.5 Selfie“ comes from the English language and is composed of the decimal number „0.5“ (also „half“) and the English noun „Selfie“. This refers to a classic selfie that was either only half successful or was literally shot with a 0.5 camera angle.
This clearly distinguishes the „0.5 selfie“ from a regular „selfie“, the purpose of which is to take a clearly visible photo of one or more people (which was taken by the person or persons themselves). The decimal number „0.5“ is an alternative expression for the fact that this intention was only half achieved, and thus of inferior quality. In the course of the new trend, however, this is even intentional and leads to breathtaking and strange shots in places.
Origin and meaning of the „0.5 Selfie“
The trend around the „0.5 Selfies“ was probably initiated in early July 2023 by a US Instagram user named Ms. Herzog. She was obsessed with alternative image formats and kept posting selfies with a funny wide angle, showing herself as well as her friends. The different wide angles provided a previously unattained quality for selfies, which were completely different from the conventional format. The alternative „0.5 selfies“ soon went viral on Instagram, and more and more users took them for their own profiles. At the same time, a hashtag culture developed around the term „0.5 selfie,“ which also caused the trend to roll more and more. In the meantime, „0.5 Selfies“ are also being implemented on other platforms, such as Facebook or TikTok.
Characteristics of a „0.5 Selfie“
The typical characteristics of a „0.5 Selfie“ are listed in this section:
- With a „0.5 Selfie“, the camera is often significantly further away from the person.
- the „0,5 Selfie“ shows partly only half of the person
- it seems to be far away and sometimes focuses more on the surroundings than on the person
- it can be taken from below or above (with a view of the person)
- it can also be an involuntary shot
Occurrence and use of „0.5 Selfie“
The „0.5 Selfie“ can now be found in many different areas of life. Namely, it is in the following areas of use:
- Social Media
- Internet
- Everyday language
In the subsections below, the main areas of use of the „0.5 selfie“ mentioned above will be explained in more detail.
Social Media
On social media, „0.5 selfies“ are particularly common on the Instagram platform, which is where they originated. Here, a „0.5 selfie“ is often used by private users, but also by public users, to post individual content. At the same time, the „0.5 Selfies“ also serve as a popular basis for so-called „Challenges“. In these challenges, Instagram users are regularly asked to post their own content in a certain format on their own profile and then encourage other users to do the same. The posts are then often commented on with hashtags, such as „#0,5Selfie“.
Internet
The Internet is of course another place where the currently very popular „0.5 selfies“ can be found. Forums, such as Reddit, or the video platform YouTube are the main places where „0.5 selfies“ are used. Basically, a „0.5 selfie“ is a digital screen format that can be found either on social media, on the Internet or on mobile devices.
Everyday language
In addition to the purely digital form of „0.5 selfies,“ the term has now also crept into the everyday language of youth subcultures. Here, the expression „0.5 selfie“ often serves as a mocking term for an (involuntarily) failed endeavor.
Social classification of the „0.5 Selfie“
Socially, the „0.5 Selfie“ can be assigned primarily to younger generations, such as the „Z“ and „Alpha“ generations. This target group consists of people who are younger than 25 years old and thus belong to the main target group of Instagram. Older people also understand the trend around the quirky „0.5 selfies“ quite well. However, the majority of „0.5 selfies“ are taken by younger people and posted on social media or the Internet.
Criticism of the „0.5 Selfie“
Although the „0.5 selfie“ is a fairly harmless trend, it does attract one or two critics. They often complain that this is just another social media trend that is only understood by a sworn community. Furthermore, the artistic added value and the meaning behind the „0.5 Selfie“ concept are not fully understood, or at least not empathized with.
Conclusion on the „0.5 Selfie“ concept
So, in summary, the „0.5 Selfie“ is a relatively new social media trend where pictures are intentionally taken in a failed format. Often, only half of the person in question can be recognized or it is an involuntary shot.
The terms „duckface“ and „filter“, for example, are related to the term „0.5 selfie“. While a „duckface“ is a popular format on social media in which the user shoots a self-portrait with a pointed mouth and then posts it on social media, a filter is a tool for editing images afterwards.