Content Analysis of Facebook Videos on Self-Objectification and Sexualization of Women in Online Flip Bottle Challenges

Abstract

This study examines self-objectification and the sexualization of women in the Flip Bottle Challenge on Facebook, with particular emphasis on patterns of gender representation, participation motivations, and objectifying behaviours within user-generated content. Anchored in Objectification Theory and Participatory Digital Culture, the study investigates how viral social media challenges reinforce appearance-centred performances and gendered inequalities in digital environments. A quantitative content analysis was conducted on 30 purposively selected Facebook videos circulated between January and December 2023. Data were coded using a structured coding instrument that examined participation motivation, gender representation, objectification indicators, and sexualization markers. The analysis revealed that female participants experienced significantly higher levels of sexualized exposure than their male counterparts, with body-focused camera framing, partial nudity, suggestive gestures, and provocative performances occurring more frequently among women. Attention seeking emerged as the dominant motivation for participation, while audience engagement measured through views, reactions, and comments indicated that sexualized content attracted greater visibility and interaction. The findings further showed that platform affordances and audience validation contribute to the normalization of self-objectification and the reinforcement of traditional gender stereotypes in participatory digital spaces. The study concludes that the Flip Bottle Challenge extends beyond entertainment to become a mechanism through which gendered objectification is reproduced and amplified on social media, highlighting the need for greater digital media literacy and more responsible online content practices.