Instagram stars claim their lives are not faked on social media.

“You don’t have to be fake on social media.”

Instagram ‘influencer’ Essena O’Neill swore off social media in a dramatic YouTube clip earlier this week, saying it was “not real life” and allowed her to profit from deluding her followers.

The Sunshine Coast teen’s decision made international headlines.

But now, other ‘Insta-stars’ have hit back at the 19-year-old’s claims, saying their online lives are not faked.

Good morning baby???? Post workout swim + @womensbest vanilla shake???????? #womensbest

A photo posted by Gabrielle Grace Epstein (@gabbyepstein) on Oct 23, 2015 at 4:08pm PDT

  Fellow Queensland model Gabrielle Epstein, 21, said of course Instagram was not real life, the Daily Mail reports. “Everyone, myself included, choose the highlight reel of their life to present on social media – we all know that and it is all our choice to be apart of it,” she said in a blog post. “However, that doesn’t mean I have ever pretended to be someone that I am not on Instagram.” Epstein, who has more than 885,000 followers on Instagram alone, said she didn’t assess her self-worth on the number of comments of likes her posts received.    

  ???????????? @loama_maldives   A photo posted by Gabrielle Grace Epstein (@gabbyepstein) on Oct 29, 2015 at 3:01am PDT

Kurt Coleman – an 18-year-old DJ, model and self-confessed spray tan addict, who also hails from the sunny state – said: “I know for a fact there is a lot of fakeness on social media platforms but that’s their choice to be fake with their audience?”

 

There is two sides to everything in life. Even my perfect face. #PerfLikeKurt @cosmedicentresigna

 

A photo posted by Kurt Coleman (@kurtcoleman) on Oct 29, 2015 at 3:12am PDT

  “You don’t have to do paid promotions for products you don’t even use. I promote products I actually use, and like.. I don’t lie to my audience, I wouldn’t call my social media fake because I’m always who I am and stay true to what I say to all of you.” Coleman, who tags many of his posts with #PerfLikeKurt, continued: “Because you don’t have to be fake on social media. It’s how you portray yourself. But I just be me. Cause I’m amazing.”  

  You don’t have to be fake on here, I literally post what I’m thinking stuff I laugh at, what I’m doing, where I am because I love to show all of u what I’m doing. So let’s just all be real on social media. #PerfLikeKurt #LetzJustBeReal and I LOVE ALL OF YOU   A photo posted by Kurt Coleman (@kurtcoleman) on Nov 3, 2015 at 4:28pm PST

A number of international social media stars also joined in to defend their chosen career.

Though one Canadian yoga instructor took an Essena-inspired break from social media, saying she would return when she worked out how to make her accounts “genuine and authentic”.

Guess we won’t be seeing her again.