Model Sensationally Quit Social Media Exposing 'Dark Truth' Behind Instfame

Queensland model Essena O'Neill quits instagram after tearful admission she had deceived her half a million followers and this announcement generated maddening coverage. O'Neill uploaded a 17-minute-long video to You Tube-now deleted- and told her tens of thousands of subscribers why she had decided to leave behind the world of Instagram, Tumbir and Snapshot.

Model sensationally quit social media while exposing the 'dark truth' behind the instafme, revealing how she was paid to promote products online and often would 'hardly eat all day' to appear flawless in her snaps. In her video she admitted she had done nothing to deserve fame and begged her hundreds of thousands of her social media followers not to be 'deluded' by what they saw. "What I am doing scares the absolute **** out of me, she said in the video. " I do not know where I am going, I do not know what is going to happen next, I have no idea how I am going to make money."

Ms O'Neill then suggested her fans who wanted to support her could visit her support page on her website. "I can not afford rent right now." It is like just I am embarrassed to admit that I need help" ... If you like my videos or like any of my posts or you like this website, if this is of value to you then please support me because I can not afford my own real life"

But in a second tearful video posted on her new website, letsbegamechanger.com O'Neill admits that after abandoning her ' whole career built around social media' she was now struggling to make ends meet. The instagram star- who will turn 19 this week - created this website 'Lets be Game Changer' to explain her decision and to shed light on the fantasy world of social media.

" And yes! I quit all of social media, with 5,70,00 plus followers on instagram, 250,000 subscribers on You Tube, 250,000 on Tumbir, and 60,000 + average viewers on Snapshot. Tumbir and Snapshot gone for ever. My instagram left to expose the harsh and often humorous reality behind # goals # instafamous culture and You Tube for purely vegan education. Deleting all those 'apps from my phone was one of the most empowering and freeing thing I have ever done' she said on her website. Before deleting her account she has edited the cations of her photos and debunked the myth that many of her photos were 'unreal' In fact she was paid by many companies to promote their merchandise.

The teenager has earned praise for her bold stance against fake instafame. But others have accused Ms O' Neill of trying to get a second bite of cherry from her instagram fame and cleverly re-marketing herself. Her statement that social media is not real life has sparked more debate than anything else. A string of insta-stars are now speaking out on the issue through their own online forums.