Instagram usage linked to eating disorder issues in teens: Study
What's the story
Internal research from Meta has revealed that teenagers who frequently felt bad about their bodies after using Instagram, were exposed to significantly more "eating disorder adjacent content" than those who didn't. The study highlights an association between body dissatisfaction and the type of content viewed, though it does not establish a direct causal link to the platform's algorithm.
Content analysis
Teens seeing more content that judge body types
The study, which surveyed 1,149 teens during the 2023-2024 academic year, found that posts shown to users who reported body dissatisfaction often featured a "prominent display" of body parts such as chest, buttocks or thighs. These posts also included "explicit judgment" about body types and content related to disordered eating or negative body image. Although not banned on Instagram, these types of material have been flagged by parents and experts as potentially harmful for young users.
Content disparity
Disparity in content exposure
The study revealed a stark contrast in content exposure between teens who reported body dissatisfaction and those who didn't. For the 223 teens who often felt bad about their bodies after viewing Instagram, "eating disorder adjacent content" made up 10.5% of what they saw on the platform. Among other teens in the study, such content accounted for only 3.3% of their viewing experience.
Provocative content
Exposure to provocative content
The study also found that teens who reported the most negative feelings about themselves were exposed to more provocative content, classified by Meta as "mature themes," "risky behavior," "harm & cruelty," and "suffering." This type of content made up 27% of their viewing experience on the platform, compared to 13.6% among peers who hadn't reported negative feelings.
Company statement
Meta's response to findings
In response to the findings, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said the document shows their commitment to understanding and improving their products. He emphasized that this research is further proof of their dedication to understanding young people's experiences and using those insights to create safer platforms for teens. The company recently announced plans to show minors content in line with PG-13 movie standards.
Screening limitations
Meta's existing screening tools not up to the mark
The study also revealed that Meta's existing screening tools, which were designed to catch violations of platform rules, failed to detect 98.5% of the "sensitive" content that the company believes might not have been appropriate for teens. The researchers noted this finding was "not necessarily surprising," as Meta had only recently begun work on building an algorithm to detect potentially harmful content.
Research findings
Wider implications of findings
The study also noted an "association" between viewing fashion, beauty and fitness content on Instagram and "reporting feeling worse about one's body." This internal research comes amid US investigations into Instagram's effects on children, as well as civil suits by school districts over the deceptive marketing of its platforms as safe for teens.