WSJ Report: “Facebook Documents Show How Toxic Instagram is For Teens”

From CNBC:

Facebook has repeatedly found that its Instagram app is harmful to a number of teenagers, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Tuesday.

The Journal cited Facebook studies over the past three years that examined how Instagram affects its young user base, with teenage girls being most notably harmed. One internal Facebook presentation said that among teens who reported suicidal thoughts, 13% of British users and 6% of American users traced the issue to Instagram.

“Thirty-two percent of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse,” the researchers reportedly wrote. Facebook also reportedly found that 14% of boys in the U.S. said Instagram made them feel worse about themselves.

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Update (September 15) From CNN:

Instagram says it’s looking at new ways to discourage users from focusing on their physical appearance after The Wall Street Journal revealed that Facebook researchers have repeatedly found that the photo-sharing platform is toxic for teen girls.

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Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said Tuesday that The Journal’s report demonstrates that Facebook has known for years of Instagram’s “damaging effect on young people,” and that its own employees’ warnings were “shoved aside in favor of growth.”

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See Also: Report: “Secret Facebook Program Reportedly Let Celebrities Avoid Moderation”

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