Instagram is being used to predict the world’s top models

Researchers across the globe are developing new things every day, but the usefulness of what’s developed can vary greatly. If you want an example of something that’s of no real use to anyone, a team of researchers at Indiana University have developed an algorithm that can do things like figure out which people on Instagram have faces that are attractive enough to become popular. More than that, however, the algorithm can also predict how good of a model someone is. 

Eager for spoiler alerts but disappointed by Reality Steve’s coverage? Have no fear — Instagram is here! No longer just a platform for making your life look enviable, Instagram is now being used to predict who the next stars of international fashion runways will be. Thanks to a team of researchers at Indiana University who had the arduous task of looking through gorgeous men and women’s Instagram feeds, we now have an algorithm that can determine which faces will soon not only be Insta-famous, but also famous-famous. In completing their study, scientists examined statistics — including hair and eye color, height, hip, waist, dress and shoe size — of 400 fashion models from the Fashion Model Directory. They then turned their attention to whether these models were represented by agencies, and the agencies’ caliber. Researchers noted, “Models with a top agency have, everything else being equal, nearly 10-time higher chances of walking a runway than their counterparts represented by non-top agencies.”