Meta gives scientists access to Instagram data to study how the platform affects teenagers' mental health

The impact of social media on the mental well-being of teenagers is a matter of serious concern. Meta provides an opportunity for a team of researchers to examine some Instagram data to determine whether social media is causing psychological harm to young users.

Here's What We Know

The Center for Open Science (COS) is launching a new joint pilot programme with Meta to conduct independent research on how social media affects adolescent mental health.

The programme will use six months of Instagram data to identify potential positive or negative associations of Instagram use among teens and young adults. The researchers will also examine differences between different populations and the reasons for the link between Instagram and mental health.

The data available to researchers includes information about users' followers, account settings, and time spent on Instagram. Researchers will not have access to users' demographic information or the content of their posts and comments. The data comes from accounts in 24 countries.

Other studies have found similar links between social media use and mental health. Former Facebook CTO Arturo Behar warned the company about the dangers of Instagram for young people. He testified that 13% of Instagram users aged 13-15 receive unwanted sexual advances, and his 16-year-old daughter suffered a mental health problem after a comment on Instagram.

41 US states have filed a lawsuit against Meta for allegedly misleading the public about the potential addiction to their platforms among teenagers.

Source: The Verge