Facebook hides research on Instagram harming teenage girls – The Wall Street Journal

Facebook has hidden from the public the results of internal research, according to which Instagram is harmful to the mental health of people, especially teenage girls. About it informs The Wall Street Journal.

The company’s research has shown that for teenage girls, Instagram is a “social comparison” tool. Edited body photos negatively affect self-esteem and acceptance of one’s own appearance.

“We are exacerbating body perception problems for one in three teenage girls,” says a Facebook study that it accessed in a presentation.

According to a 2019 study, teens cite Instagram as the cause of depression and anxiety. In addition, they complained about being addicted to the app and not being able to abandon it due to a lack of self-control. Facebook noted that this response “was independent and consistent across all groups.”

The company also conducted a survey among adolescent users in the US and UK. 40% of respondents who consider themselves “unattractive” admitted that Instagram was the reason for their low self-esteem. Moreover, 13% of those surveyed in the UK and 6% in the US said the app influenced their suicidal thoughts.

According to the WSJ, Facebook did not want to share the results of its research either with the public or with the authorities. The company told US Senator Richard Blumenthal that it “maintains the confidentiality of research to facilitate frank and open dialogue and internal brainstorming.”