Facebook has known for a year and a half that Instagram is bad for teens despite claiming otherwise
3 years, 3 months ago

Facebook has known for a year and a half that Instagram is bad for teens despite claiming otherwise

Firstpost  

Facebook’s policy of pursuing profits regardless of documented harm has sparked comparisons to Big Tobacco, which knew in the 1950s that its products were carcinogenic but publicly denied it into the 21st century Lexington, US: Facebook officials had internal research in March 2020 showing that Instagram the social media platform most used by adolescents is harmful to teen girls’ body image and well-being but swept those findings under the rug to continue conducting business as usual, according to a 14 September, 2021, Wall Street Journal report. Those of us who study social media use in teens didn’t need a suppressed internal research study to know that Instagram can harm teens. Yet studies consistently show that the more often teens use Instagram, the worse their overall well-being, self-esteem, life satisfaction, mood and body image. Objectification and body image Instagram is also risky for teens because its emphasis on pictures of the body leads users to focus on how their bodies look to others.

Research Social Body Image Body Instagram Teens Bodies Worse Facebook Big Tobacco Comparisons  comparisons  facebook  media  users  known  half  body  bodies  despite  research  worse  claiming  instagram  teens  social  bad

History of this topic

Cut risks, not potential, of social media for young with Instagram Teen Accounts
2 weeks, 2 days ago

Cut risks, not potential, of social media for young with Instagram Teen Accounts

India Today  

Being a great communication and learning tool for teenagers, managing the use of social media by them is becoming increasingly important. The idea behind Instagram Teen Accounts is to place teens in built-in protections and reassure parents that their children are having safe experiences. “Parents and educators play a vital role in managing teenagers’ social media experiences. Using these features, …

Men beware! Your Instagram feed might be fueling body insecurity, muscle dysmorphia
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Men beware! Your Instagram feed might be fueling body insecurity, muscle dysmorphia

Hindustan Times  

Generally, body image issues stemming from unrealistic beauty standards on social media are primarily discussed in terms of how they affect women. The emphasis on muscular physiques in social media portrayals of men’s bodies triggers insecurity in men consuming this content and leads to muscle dysmorphia, a mental health condition where people obsessively believe their muscles are too small or …

Instagram is restricting teen accounts—and blocking sneaky workarounds
3 months, 1 week ago

Instagram is restricting teen accounts—and blocking sneaky workarounds

Live Mint  

Starting this week, it will begin automatically making youth accounts private, with the most restrictive settings. And younger teens won’t be able to get around it by changing settings or creating adult accounts with fake birth dates. Instagram plans to go even further, starting next year: Using artificial intelligence, it said, it will identify children who are lying about their …

Instagram makes teen accounts private as pressure mounts
3 months, 1 week ago

Instagram makes teen accounts private as pressure mounts

Al Jazeera  

Instagram is making teen accounts private by default as it tries to make the platform safer for children amid a growing backlash against how social media affects young people’s lives. “So teen accounts is really focused on addressing those three concerns.” The announcement comes as the company faces lawsuits from dozens of US states that accuse it of harming young …

Australian survey finds regular use of social media harming teenagers' life satisfaction
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Australian survey finds regular use of social media harming teenagers' life satisfaction

ABC  

Regular use of some social media platforms is negatively impacting the life satisfaction of Australian teenagers, according to the latest findings from the nation's largest survey of young people. Non-binary students who regularly use social media reported the lowest levels of life satisfaction, particularly for those who use Discord. "While we know that young people face many challenges that could …

If you’re a parent, Lauren Greenfield’s new doc about teens and social media ‘is a horror movie’
3 months, 3 weeks ago

If you’re a parent, Lauren Greenfield’s new doc about teens and social media ‘is a horror movie’

LA Times  

Documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield had spent her day with a group of high school students when a startling revelation came up that compelled her to go home and ask her two sons, then about 14 and 20, a question: “Is BDSM really a trend?” “Oh, yeah, choking is what we’re told girls want,” she recalled one of her sons saying …

Teen sues Meta for $5bn saying Instagram’s features are ‘addictive’
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Teen sues Meta for $5bn saying Instagram’s features are ‘addictive’

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The case cites numerous internal documents …

Troubling ties between teens, social media and mental health : Short Wave : NPR
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Troubling ties between teens, social media and mental health : Short Wave : NPR

NPR  

Why we need to talk about teens, social media and mental health Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel de la Hoz/Getty Images Daniel de la Hoz/Getty Images Rates of depression and anxiety have risen among teens over the last decade. Amid this ongoing mental health crisis, the American Psychological Association issued guidelines for parents to increase protection for teens online …

The Surgeon General Proposed Warning Labels On Social Media. Will They Do Anything?
6 months ago

The Surgeon General Proposed Warning Labels On Social Media. Will They Do Anything?

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING A source recently let me know that the responses to an article I had written were a bit mean-spirited. In a New York Times essay published June 17, Murthy wrote, “The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor.” In the Youth Risk Behavior Survey published …

Social media: Abstinence can boost self-esteem
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Social media: Abstinence can boost self-esteem

Hindustan Times  

A Canadian study has found that refraining from social media for a week can have a positive impact on one's body image. Young women are particularly vulnerable to internalizing certain ideas of beauty For many young people on social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, it's hard to escape the beauty ideals and standards that are circulating, and …

Meta takes steps to shield teens from inappropriate content: What it means?
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Meta takes steps to shield teens from inappropriate content: What it means?

India TV News  

Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has announced new steps to increase safety for teens by automatically applying more restrictive content controls. According to the company, the aim is to create a safer online environment for teens, addressing concerns related to inappropriate content and promoting a more secure social media experience. Stricter Content Controls for Teens Meta is …

Meta will limit reach of harmful content to teens on Facebook and Instagram amid scrutiny
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Meta will limit reach of harmful content to teens on Facebook and Instagram amid scrutiny

LA Times  

Meta said it will restrict inappropriate content for teenagers’ accounts on Instagram and Facebook, such as posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. Facing increased scrutiny over its social networks’ effects on teenage users, Meta announced Tuesday that teens on Facebook and Instagram will see less content related to self-harm and eating disorders. Another change will automatically set users under …

Meta to hide posts about suicide, eating disorders from teens’ Instagram and Facebook feeds
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Meta to hide posts about suicide, eating disorders from teens’ Instagram and Facebook feeds

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Meta said Tuesday it will start hiding inappropriate content from teenagers’ accounts on Instagram and Facebook, including posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. This is an important story, and can help destigmatize these issues, but it’s a complex topic and isn’t necessarily suitable for all young people,” Meta said. “Now, we’ll start to remove this type …

DC Edit | Use social media time wisely
1 year ago

DC Edit | Use social media time wisely

Deccan Chronicle  

A new study reveals what was always self-evident since the rise of the internet and the preponderance of social media platforms. The study finds small reductions in social media use are linked to improvements in health and well-being. All heavy users of the social media, particularly young people for whom its use may have become addictive, would have been aware …

Pew survey: YouTube tops teens’ social-media diet, with roughly a sixth using it almost constantly
1 year ago

Pew survey: YouTube tops teens’ social-media diet, with roughly a sixth using it almost constantly

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Teen usage of social media hasn’t dropped much, despite rising concerns about its effects on the mental health of adolescents, a survey from the Pew Research Institute found. But the data also found that roughly one in six teens describe their use of two platforms — YouTube and TikTok — as “almost constant.” Seventy-one percent of teens …

Too much social media linked to harmful behaviours in teenagers, study suggests
1 year ago

Too much social media linked to harmful behaviours in teenagers, study suggests

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Frequent use …

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children
1 year, 2 months ago

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

How FOMO might lurk behind teen social media anxiety
1 year, 2 months ago

How FOMO might lurk behind teen social media anxiety

Hindustan Times  

Headlines that say using social media is safe bring tangible sighs of relief from parents worldwide. A recent paper has found that FOMO — or fear of missing out — is linked to whether teens find using social media increases their anxiety or relieves it. The research looked at the impact of social media use on anxiety symptoms in 951 …

Increased social media use ‘linked to rise in teenage binge drinking’
1 year, 2 months ago

Increased social media use ‘linked to rise in teenage binge drinking’

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Teenagers spending half an hour or more on social media each …

How to Talk to Your Kids About Social Media and Mental Health
1 year, 4 months ago

How to Talk to Your Kids About Social Media and Mental Health

Wired  

If you give a kid a smartphone, they’re going to want a social media account. “It’s really about how people come to use social media, in what ways, and what kinds of supports they have to navigate it in a way that’s right for them.” “Don’t assume that your kid isn’t already on social media.” Linda Charmaraman, director and founder …

Experts on harmful effects of social media overuse in teens, suggest ideal screen time
1 year, 7 months ago

Experts on harmful effects of social media overuse in teens, suggest ideal screen time

Hindustan Times  

Social media use in teenagers can have profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents, said US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy in a new advisory urging parents, policymakers and technology companies to address the growing mental health crisis. Health experts in an interview with HT Digital talk about harmful effects of social media …

Social media poses profound risk to teenagers' mental health, says US Surgeon General in advisory
1 year, 7 months ago

Social media poses profound risk to teenagers' mental health, says US Surgeon General in advisory

Hindustan Times  

US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy in a new advisory released on Tuesday has warned about risks associated with social media use in teenagers, and said that social media can have "profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents." The advisory says that at this time, there isn't enough evidence to determine if social …

Social media can put young people in danger, U.S. surgeon general warns
1 year, 7 months ago

Social media can put young people in danger, U.S. surgeon general warns

NPR  

Social media can put young people in danger, U.S. surgeon general warns Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/Getty Images Mandel Ngan/Getty Images Social media can present a real risk to the mental health of children and teenagers because of the ways their brains are affected by the amount of time they spend using it, the U.S. surgeon general warns …

Teens say social media is stressing them out. Here's how to help them
1 year, 7 months ago

Teens say social media is stressing them out. Here's how to help them

NPR  

Teens say social media is stressing them out. Here's how to help them Enlarge this image toggle caption Rose Wong for NPR Rose Wong for NPR "What advice would you give to young people who are new to social media?" About 95% of U.S. teens today use some type of social media, and about a third say they use it …

Why are teen girls in crisis? It’s not just social media
1 year, 8 months ago

Why are teen girls in crisis? It’s not just social media

Associated Press  

Study after study says American youth are in crisis, facing unprecedented mental health challenges that are burdening teen girls in particular. “A lot of people view women’s bodies and girls’ bodies as sexual,” Emma said. I don’t know what it feels like to not have that fear.” Makena, a high school senior in Mississippi, said she and her friends sometimes …

10 things to know about how social media affects teens' brains
1 year, 10 months ago

10 things to know about how social media affects teens' brains

NPR  

10 things to know about how social media affects teens' brains Enlarge this image Tracy J. Lee for NPR Tracy J. Lee for NPR If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting 9-8-8. Sponsor Message Prinstein's 22-page testimony, along with dozens of useful footnotes, offers some much-needed …

The Dark Side of Social Media: How it's Impacting the Mental Health of Our Youth
1 year, 11 months ago

The Dark Side of Social Media: How it's Impacting the Mental Health of Our Youth

News 18  

Have you ever thought about the darker side of scrolling on the screens for hours and hours, hooked to pictures and videos and manipulating your mind to ignore issues around you? Let’s understand the impact of social media on children’s mental health and what steps parents, guardians, and teachers can take to reduce this impact. Prakriti Poddar, Global Head, Mental …

Meta launches new safety features for teen users of Facebook and Instagram
2 years, 1 month ago

Meta launches new safety features for teen users of Facebook and Instagram

Hindustan Times  

Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, is launching new tools to protect teens and their privacy on its platforms. Meta also shared an update on the work they are doing to stop the spread of teens’ intimate images online. “We’re sharing an update on how we protect young people from harm and seek to create safe, age-appropriate experiences for teens …

Facebook, Instagram Addiction In Adolescents Associated With Inequality, Says Study
2 years, 3 months ago

Facebook, Instagram Addiction In Adolescents Associated With Inequality, Says Study

News 18  

“These findings indicate the potentially harmful influences of inequality at the individual, school and country level on adolescents’ problematic social media use," says lead author Michela Lenzi from the University of Padua, Italy, an Associate Professor in psychology. “Policymakers should develop actions to reduce inequalities to limit maladaptive patterns of social media use by adolescents." Many young people use social …

Research finds Facebook, Instagram addiction in adolescents associated with inequality
2 years, 3 months ago

Research finds Facebook, Instagram addiction in adolescents associated with inequality

India TV News  

According to research, adolescents from deprived backgrounds are more likely to report an addiction to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other social media. The authors say the results - based on more than 179,000 schoolchildren in 40 countries - suggest that new strategies are needed on social media use that reduce the impact of deprivation. These negative patterns include being unable …

How Instagram can influence your self-esteem
2 years, 6 months ago

How Instagram can influence your self-esteem

Live Mint  

Siddharth Basu, a 33-year-old media consultant, was on the fence about buying a car. Additionally, the new entity of social media influencers paid for endorsements based on their follower status has further led to a dire need for external validation to monetise this validation, points out Dr Bhonsle. "If you find yourself constantly being a people pleaser, being afraid of …

Social media impact: Shield India’s young
2 years, 8 months ago

Social media impact: Shield India’s young

Hindustan Times  

Adolescents feel worse about their lives the more they use social media, a study published in Nature Communications earlier this week found. There is already evidence that toxic social media exposure leads to depression, anxiety and low self-esteem in children. Last year, a whistleblower who worked at Facebook released documents that showed the company found its popular image sharing service …

Social media negatively affects female teens before males, study finds
2 years, 8 months ago

Social media negatively affects female teens before males, study finds

Daily Mail  

The negative impact of social media on young people's mental health has long been known, but a new study suggests that the age at which they are most susceptible differs between girls and boys. They found girls experience a negative link between social media use and life satisfaction when they are 11-13 years old and boys when they are 14-15 …

Multiple states investigating Instagram over efforts to get children active on its platform
3 years, 1 month ago

Multiple states investigating Instagram over efforts to get children active on its platform

LA Times  

A group of U.S. state attorneys general are investigating Meta Platforms Inc.’s Instagram photo-sharing app over its efforts to engage children and young adults, taking aim at the risks the social network may pose to their mental health and well-being. “Our coalition will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect children and young adults from the harms …

Opinion: It’s time for social networks to take a close look in the mirror
3 years, 1 month ago

Opinion: It’s time for social networks to take a close look in the mirror

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Kara Alaimo, an associate professor of public relations at Hofstra University, is the author of “Pitch, Tweet, or Engage on the Street: How to Practice Global Public Relations and Strategic Communication.” She was spokeswoman for international affairs in the Treasury Department during the Obama administration. Asked how their platforms affect the mental health of teens and even promote …

October 25, 2021 internal Facebook documents revealed
3 years, 1 month ago

October 25, 2021 internal Facebook documents revealed

CNN  

While Facebook has repeatedly come under fire over the past few years for its role in disseminating misinformation, especially related to the 2016 election, the last two months have been especially turbulent as a whistleblower and top officials have been called to testify in front of Congress following the release of leaked internal research and documents. Spread of misinformation In …

Facebook will try to ‘nudge’ teens away from harmful content
3 years, 2 months ago

Facebook will try to ‘nudge’ teens away from harmful content

The Hindu  

A Facebook Inc executive said Sunday that the company would introduce new measures on its apps to prompt teens away from harmful content, as U.S lawmakers scrutinise how Facebook and subsidiaries like Instagram affect young people's mental health. Nick Clegg, Facebook's vice president of global affairs, also expressed openness to the idea of letting regulators have access to Facebook algorithms …

Instagram to encourage teenagers to take a break from the platform and stay away from harmful content
3 years, 2 months ago

Instagram to encourage teenagers to take a break from the platform and stay away from harmful content

India Today  

Instagram is working on new ways to make the platform a safe place for young users. The photo-sharing app will now introduce a new feature that would ask teenagers to maintain a safe distance from harmful content and encourage them to “take a break” from Instagram. The announcement Clegg came shortly after ex-Facebook employee turned Whistleblower made shocking claims about …

Instagram and teens: How to keep your kids safe
3 years, 2 months ago

Instagram and teens: How to keep your kids safe

Associated Press  

For many parents, revelations this week from whistleblower Frances Haugen showing internal Facebook studies of the harms of Instagram for teenagers only intensified concerns about the popular photo sharing app. To comply, social media companies have generally banned kids under 13 from signing up for their services, although it’s been widely documented that kids sign up anyway, either with or …

Facebook knows it is in trouble as Mark Zuckerberg picks his battles
3 years, 2 months ago

Facebook knows it is in trouble as Mark Zuckerberg picks his battles

Hindustan Times  

When Senator Edward Markey on Tuesday called Frances Haugen “a 21st-century American hero,” it underlined the trouble Facebook finds itself in. Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook is defending allegations that the company has long ignored teenage safety on its platforms, particularly Instagram, resolving conflicts in favour of profits. Facebook has been accused of hiding internal research about how Instagram’s algorithms were negatively …

Whistleblower tells Congress that Facebook products harm kids and democracy
3 years, 2 months ago

Whistleblower tells Congress that Facebook products harm kids and democracy

NPR  

Whistleblower tells Congress that Facebook products harm kids and democracy Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images A former Facebook product manager told Congress on Tuesday that the company's products harm children and stoke division, while Facebook executives hide research about the social network's risks to keep its business humming. Facebook internal research provided by Haugen …

Past storms haven’t fazed Facebook. Instagram Kids might
3 years, 2 months ago

Past storms haven’t fazed Facebook. Instagram Kids might

Associated Press  

Nineteen-year-old Gigi Painter hopes Facebook’s planned “Instagram Kids” never becomes a reality. Antigone Davis, Facebook’s head of global safety, defended Instagram’s efforts to protect young people using its platform, insisting that Facebook cares “deeply about the safety and security of the people on our platform.” The Senate Commerce Subcommittee is is examining how Facebook handled information from its own researchers …

Senators push Facebook exec on Instagram policies for youth
3 years, 2 months ago

Senators push Facebook exec on Instagram policies for youth

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Senators fired a barrage of criticism Thursday at a Facebook executive over the social-networking giant’s handling of internal research on how its Instagram photo-sharing platform can harm teens. “It’s abundantly clear that Facebook views the events of the last two weeks purely as a PR problem, and that the issues raised by the leaked research haven’t led to …

Under 13 Instagram Paused for Now: Is Social Media for Kids a Good Idea?
3 years, 2 months ago

Under 13 Instagram Paused for Now: Is Social Media for Kids a Good Idea?

The Quint  

The brains up at Instagram's parent company, Facebook Inc. have been working on a long term business plan to tap the untapped demographic of preteens according to an exposé in the Wall Street Journal. YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok already have separate versions for kids, which position themselves as a way of making sure children are exposed to only kid friendly …

Foes united vs Facebook over Instagram's effect on teens
3 years, 2 months ago

Foes united vs Facebook over Instagram's effect on teens

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Mounting public pressure over the revelations have prompted …

Under criticism, Facebook to highlight own positive research on Instagram and teens
3 years, 2 months ago

Under criticism, Facebook to highlight own positive research on Instagram and teens

The Hindu  

Facebook Inc, under criticism over internal data showing its Instagram app damaged the mental health of teenagers, plans to highlight during a U.S. Senate hearing on Thursday what it argues were more positive impacts, according to the company's prepared testimony seen by Reuters. Facebook has been under fire for the past week after the Wall Street Journal reported internal documents …

Senators Blast Facebook For Concealing Instagram's Risks To Kids
3 years, 2 months ago

Senators Blast Facebook For Concealing Instagram's Risks To Kids

NPR  

Senators Blast Facebook For Concealing Instagram's Risks To Kids Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick Semansky/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Patrick Semansky/Pool/AFP via Getty Images If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. We know it chooses the growth of its …

Explained | Why Facebook is holding off on kids’ Instagram
3 years, 2 months ago

Explained | Why Facebook is holding off on kids’ Instagram

The Hindu  

Bowing — perhaps only for a moment — to pressure from lawmakers, critics, the media and child development experts, Facebook said Monday it will “pause” its work on a kids' version of its photo and video-oriented Instagram app. In public, however, Facebook has consistently played down the app’s negative side and until now has barrelled ahead with the kids’ version …

EXPLAINER: Why Facebook is holding off on kids’ Instagram
3 years, 2 months ago

EXPLAINER: Why Facebook is holding off on kids’ Instagram

Associated Press  

Bowing — perhaps only for a moment — to pressure from lawmakers, critics, the media and child development experts, Facebook said Monday it will “pause” its work on a kids’ version of its photo and video-oriented Instagram app. Four years ago, Facebook said it gathered a group of experts in the fields of online safety, child development and children’s media …

Instagram is not toxic for teens, says Facebook
3 years, 2 months ago

Instagram is not toxic for teens, says Facebook

India TV News  

Facebook has shared more details about its internal research into Instagram's impact on teenage girls as the social media giant hits back at a report on the research after it was made public on The Wall Street Journal. In a blog post, Facebook Vice President and Head of Research, Pratiti Raychoudhury dismissed the WSJ's assessment of internal research as not …

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