Facebook is very aware that Instagram isn’t good for teens’ mental health

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Facebook has been conducting studies for years now over the mental health effects that its image-sharing platform, Instagram, has on its users and the results are pretty grim.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, research presented in 2019 showed that one in three teenage girls experienced negative thoughts about their body due to Instagram. Other reports noted the increase in anxiety and depression caused by the platform.

Facebook has now released a blog post discussing the report from WSJ and while it does acknowledge that Instagram can have negative effects on users, it says it is studying the research closely. It also notes that the outlet focused on the negative parts of the study.

Regardless, the company says it is taking the research seriously and is always looking to improve the experience for users. While it is true that platforms like Instagram allow marginalized groups to better connect with others, it also brings trolls, hate comments, and more.

These platforms also cause people to compare themselves to others more than ever before and this can lead to feelings of inadequacy and body image issues as mentioned above.

WSJ’s report also drew attention from lawmakers, with some announcing that they would be launching a probe into the platform over the reports.

Mental health is serious and while social media has now been around for over a decade, we still simply don’t understand the full scope of it and what it means for people’s mental health.

Studies like this help bring the current issues to light and – hopefully – will make it a better experience for everyone.

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