Amanda Seyfried is speaking out about the power and influence of social media.
Earlier this week, Instagram influencer Arielle Charnas took to social media to share a photo of herself in a bikini, telling her followers that she's "proud" of her body after having two kids. In response to the post, many commenters noted that Charnas' picture was promoting an "unrealistic" and "unhealthy" body image to the world.
One of those commenters included Seyfried's friend, who encouraged Charnas to acknowledge how her "wealth made your workouts/body possible." And if not, the pal noted, Charnas is "just perpetuating the patriarchal (totally unrealistic) notion that mothers should 'bounce back' after childbirth."
After seeing her pal's comment, which stated that Charnas was "glorifying an unhealthy body image," the Mamma Mia! star took to her own Instagram to share it with her followers.
"F--k it- this is feed material. My very smart friend (again-not tagging) wrote this on a semi-influencer's feed and she blocked both of us (even though I didn't tag her-at least she's getting the message)," Seyfried wrote. "If we're ready to get paid for flaunting our lifestyle (and inspiring some in the meantime) we have to be open to the discussions surrounding what we're promoting."
"We have to back ourselves up- not run away from the issues it presents," the actress, who is mother to daughter Nina, continued. "There are gray areas everywhere. Each of us has a chance to back ourselves- especially on this platform. If you know who you are- take a second to decide if what you're throwing out there is worth it- in the big picture."
This conversation sparked a debate in both Seyfried and Charnas' comments. After speaking up, Seyfried shared a selfie with her followers, writing, "INFLUENCE = POWER. And if you're taking advantage of that—EMPOWER."
"Goodnight, all, and thanks for a much needed discussion," Seyfried captioned the post. "I'm tired!"
On Thursday, Charnas' husband, Brandon Charnas, took to Instagram to post a throwback photo and address critics of his wife.
In the caption of the post, showing the couple in swimwear, he issued a warning, writing, "THIS BODY IS NOT ATTAINABLE •PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ATTAIN SUCH BODY BY WORKING OUT •IF YOU ATTEMPT TO ATTAIN, YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST THREE NANNYS AND BE SURE TO NOT ONLY PAY THEM BUT ALSO THANK THEM IN A MINIMUM OF 4 SHOUTOUTS A WEEK ON INSTAGRAM •IF YOU CANT AFFORD A NANNY, PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN ORDER TO DO SO •GENETICS MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE PLAYED A FACTOR •ONLY AGES 30 AND OLDER ARE ALLOWED TO VIEW THIS POST, YOUTH MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A THERAPIST ***please note such warnings have been provided for in compliance with the ABSA or the American Body Shaming Association."