Earlier this month, Facebook has shared the internal research about the impact of Instagram on teenage mental well-being on The Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the files showed Instagram knew the social media network had a negative affect on teens’ mental health.

On the other hand, US lawmakers, on Thursday demanded pledges from Facebook to address the escalating worries over its platforms’ impact on teens mental health.

In an hour long Capitol Hill hearing, Senators questioned Antigone Davis over damning reports that Facebook’s own research warned of the harm photo-sharing app Instagram can do to teens girls wellbeing.

Senator Richard Blumenthal said, “This research is a bombshell. It is powerful, gripping, riveting evidence that Facebook knows of the harmful effects of its site on children, and that it has concealed those facts and findings.”

Under questioning from Blumenthal and other Senators, Davis repeatedly said that the Wall Street Journal Series had selectively chosen parts of its studies to give an inaccurately dark vision of company’s work. She told lawmakers that a survey of teens on serious issues like anxiety, sadness and eating disorders showed that Instagram was helpful to them.

In a remote testimony Davis said, “On 11 of the 12 issues, teen girls who said they struggled with those issues were more likely to say that Instagram was affirmatively helping them, not making it worse.”

But Senator Blumenthal read aloud excerpts from company’s documents that were provided by a Facebook whistleblower that directly contradicted her.

In the wake of the Journal reports and backlash from Thursday’s hearing, the social media powerhouse has halted work on a strongly criticised plan to make a under 13 Instagram version for children.

What do you think about this matter? Is Instagram toxic and bad for teens’ mental health?


Sources : https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/29/22701445/facebook-instagram-mental-health-research-pdfs-documents

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-lawmakers-grill-facebook-on-spiking-mental-health-fears-among-teens-2559718