Finsta: Creating "Fake" Spaces for Authentic Performance

Finsta is a "fake" Instagram account that some people maintain in addition to their real Instagram account (rinsta) for a more authentic performance. We draw on Goffman's theatrical metaphor and use a mixed-methods approach to explore how and why people do the work of performing their identity across these distinct presentations of the self. We found that finsta users deliberately partition their audience and mostly maintain a small audience of close friends to avoid context collapse. Additionally, we discovered that finsta is a space where distinct norms shape performance: humor, authenticity, and "unfiltered" self-expression. Given that finsta users are mostly teenagers and young adults, we ask how an expectation for authentic performance by peers might itself increase pressure on users.