Studies will reveal whether Instagram is harmful for young people

Instagram has announced a new pilot program that will allow a select group of researchers to access data from the platform to investigate how it affects the mental health of teens and young adults.

This effort, in partnership with the Center for Open Science (COS), aims to produce independent studies that can provide valuable insights into the relationship between social media and youth well-being.

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Some Instagram data will not be passed on

The selected researchers will have access to Instagram data for up to six months. The information available will include details such as the number of accounts a teenager follows, the amount of time they spend using Instagram, and their account settings.

But Meta has made it clear that it will not provide access to users’ demographic information, nor the content of their posts, comments or messages.

As first reported by The Atlantic, COS will be responsible for selecting up to seven research proposals in distinct areas related to adolescent mental health, without Meta involvement in the selection process.

Researchers will need to recruit teen participants and obtain parental permission for them to participate in the study. According to COS, combining Instagram data with other sources, such as surveys and additional studies, could significantly contribute to a broader understanding of youth well-being.

Growing concern

Curtiss Cobb, Meta’s vice president of research, highlighted the importance of this initiative in a statement: “Parents, policymakers, academics and technology companies are grappling with how best to support young people as they navigate online spaces, but we need more data to understand the full picture.”

Concerns about Instagram’s impact on teen mental health aren’t new. In 2021, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen released internal documents suggesting that “teens blame Instagram for rising rates of anxiety and depression.” That incident prompted scientists to push Meta to make its mental health research more publicly accessible.

Since then, Instagram has implemented features to protect young users on the platform. Still, concerns remain, resulting in a number of child safety and age verification bills and regulations in the United States.

Fonte: The Verge