Facebook's Own Research Shows Instagram Is Harmful To Teens, Report Says (cnet.com) 19
In studies conducted over the past three years, Facebook researchers have found that Instagram is "harmful for a sizable percentage" of young users, particularly teenage girls, reported The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. CNET reports: Research presented in 2019 reportedly found that Instagram makes body image issue worse for one in three teen girls. Teens also said Instagram increased rates of anxiety and depression, reported the Journal, citing internal company documents. On Tuesday, Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, said it stands by its research to understand young people's experiences on the app. "The question on many people's minds is if social media is good or bad for people," wrote Karina Newton, head of public policy at Instagram, in a blog post. "The research on this is mixed; it can be both. At Instagram, we look at the benefits and the risks of what we do." Newton added that Instagram has done "extensive work around bullying, suicide and self-injury, and eating disorders" to make the app a safe place for everyone. The company is also focused on addressing negative social comparison and body image, said Newton, and is developing ways to "jump in if we see people dwelling on certain types of content."
The Instagram research is part of a "trove of internal communications" reviewed by the Journal. On Monday, the Journal reported that Facebook exempted millions of high-profile users, including celebrities and politicians, from some or all of its community standards as part of a program called XCheck. A Facebook spokesman said the program was meant to give certain Facebook pages a "second layer of review to make sure we've applied our policies correctly."
The Instagram research is part of a "trove of internal communications" reviewed by the Journal. On Monday, the Journal reported that Facebook exempted millions of high-profile users, including celebrities and politicians, from some or all of its community standards as part of a program called XCheck. A Facebook spokesman said the program was meant to give certain Facebook pages a "second layer of review to make sure we've applied our policies correctly."
Wonder no longer (Score:5, Insightful)
My kids wonder why I say no to FB, Instagram TikTok, etc. This is why.
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Over the last 18 months many children have been unable to see their friends in person and missed a lot of socializing. It's causing mental health problems, partly because they turn to toxic social media sites.
Instagram is just the new fashion magazines, full of unrealistic airbrushed photos that few real humans can live up to. Porn is also an issue, with girls feeling pressured to do things and boys comparing themselves to statistical outliers on screen.
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My kids wonder why I say no to FB, Instagram TikTok, etc. This is why.
There's a fellow on Youtube and locals who regularly shows and comments on the TikTok's.
Keep your daughters away from TikTok as long as you can. Turns out to be a great place for sociopathic narcissististic women to spew a lot of bad advice and misandry.
Keep your son's away from TikTok if you are hoping to become a grandparent on the son's side. That place will redpill them in about 5 minutes.
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My city has a very hands-on social interaction with most youths and peers . . . they still bicker, antagonize each other, and compete for longest strung together obscenities on the phone or in person.
Get Off My Lawn
Re: Wonder no longer (Score:2)
Because you are a teenage girrl ?
Who is also active on slashdot and has kids already..
That makes me optimistic of my chances with you then.. :) Here's my snap id:
Again, wrong title (Score:3)
" Privacy Rapist's Own Research Shows Instagram Is Harmful To Teens, Report Says "
There, FTFY.
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Duh (Score:2)
I predict this disclosure will end up hurting them more than all the others combined, not because it is necessarily worse behavior, or does the most damage, but because it is most capable of generating lawsuits.
Why can't this be regulated? (Score:2, Insightful)
If someone came out with a pill that did the same brain manipulation it would require FDA approval.
brilliant idea (Score:2)
'...is developing ways to "jump in if we see people dwelling on certain types of content."'
Hey, remember how those "Parental Advisory - Explicit Lyrics" stickers on records made kids not want to hear or say swear words anymore or have sex, do drugs etc.?
"Extreme Content Warning" is the new Seal of Quality, as such things always have been. smh
WTF Zuck? (Score:1)
Jonathan Haidt. (Score:3)
"In conclusion, digital media in general undoubtedly has many beneficial uses, including the treatment of mental illness. But if you focus on social media, you'll find stronger evidence of harm, and less exculpatory evidence, especially for its millions of under-age users." https://www.nature.com/article... [nature.com]
Also check out his interview with Sam Harris at https://samharris.org/podcasts... [samharris.org]
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"In conclusion, digital media in general undoubtedly has many beneficial uses, including the treatment of mental illness. But if you focus on social media, you'll find stronger evidence of harm, and less exculpatory evidence, especially for its millions of under-age users." https://www.nature.com/article... [nature.com]
Also check out his interview with Sam Harris at https://samharris.org/podcasts... [samharris.org]
Now that is interesting stuff! We often make jokes about the old "women most affected" meme, but there's some powerful data there.
While my own experience is more related to FB and more recently, TikTok, I'm firmly convinced that young ladies will indeed be happier avoiding either place along with Instagram.
Especially in the relationship arena.
On facebook many women and a few menm post these pictures that would seem to indicate that they are livin the dream. We're doin this, we're doin that - life i
Ban it - Just like Australia (Score:2)
Are people still using Facebook and Instagram ? (Score:1)
Jesus,
The novelty wore off years ago. Just close your accounts, and your children's accounts, and you'll be much happier - and have a life.
Re: Are people still using Facebook and Instagram (Score:2)
Correct. No teens are using FB at all and their nos or activity on insta, tiktok & snap is decreasing very rapidly, mainly because all these platforms have been taken over by political manipulation groups, advertisers /marketers, old people and rural /small town kids, plus religious and other such groups. It's not even possible to use FB anymore since a year and insta is now on that verge.
The big city kids moved on to all sorts of things like telegram groups, discord and the biggest/ worst one I have f
History Repeating (Score:2)
Tobacco companies worked out their product was harmful.
Oil companies found greenhouse gases are bad for the environment.
No doubt there are other examples as well.
And of course we all know what they did.
Ignored it, buried it and went on maximizing profit.
Clearly the penalties for such behaviour are not up to the task.
Sounds like the local drug dealer (Score:1)