Leicestershire entrepreneur shares how social media changed her life — and why she’s now fighting to make it safer

This year’s theme, “Empowering Voices and Building Communities,” feels especially personal to me. Because while social media has undeniably shaped the way we communicate, it’s also fundamentally changed the direction of my life.

Back in 2016, I found myself a newly single mum of two, unemployed, and relying on foodbanks to feed my family. What started as a few empowering Facebook posts from my kitchen table spiralled into something I never expected: a viral online community that became the fastest-growing women’s network in the world. In just two years, I helped generate over £1 million in revenue, landed national press coverage, and built a brand that supported hundreds of thousands of women.

I’ve seen the power of social media at its absolute best — giving women a voice, helping small businesses grow, reconnecting communities and opening doors that traditional routes might never have offered. I’ve presented to thousands, spoken at events like the Photography & Videography Show and Women in Business Expo, and worked with schools, colleges, and global brands.

But behind the filtered highlight reel lies the truth. Social media hasn’t always been kind.

I’ve been trolled, called names, judged for everything from my parenting to my body. I’ve had content removed for promoting body confidence while actual toxic content continues to flood feeds unchecked. I’ve supported parents whose children have died as a result of harmful content, and I’ve seen first-hand the mental health impacts on young people who feel they’ll never live up to the impossible beauty and success standards they scroll past daily.

Social media gave me a platform - but it also gave me a responsibility. That’s why I now work passionately with schools, colleges and alternative provisions across the UK, helping to educate and empower young people to navigate the digital world safely and positively. A Year 10 student from a recent school session told their teacher, “That was the most real and useful talk we’ve had. I finally get how I can use social media in a good way.”

That’s what drives me.

This year, Social Media Day invites us to celebrate the good - and I do. I’m grateful every day for the opportunities, friendships, and freedom it has created. But it’s also a moment to acknowledge what still needs to change.

Platforms must do better. We all must do better. Because this generation of young people are not just users - they are future coders, content creators, educators and leaders. The digital world they inherit should be one where body positivity isn’t censored, where trolls are held accountable, and where creators are protected and respected.

I’ll be sharing more about my story - the highs, the heartbreaks, the reality behind the screen - in my upcoming book, launching Autumn 2025. It’s a raw and honest look at how social media shaped me and how I’m now using that experience to shape change for others.

So today, on Social Media Day 2025, let’s scroll with more intention. Let’s share the good stuff, call out the bad, and commit to creating a safer, kinder, more empowering online world.

Because behind every post is a person. And every person deserves to be seen, supported and safe.

Follow me on Instagram for all the latest information around educational workshops and the official book launch: www.instagram.com/estellekeeberofficial/