Do you also feel sometimes that social media apps know you better than even yourself? You can forget about your search histories but the platforms will repeatedly make recommendations accordingly. That’s how the algorithm works but little did we know that it can severely impact mental health too. This alarming situation has been highlighted after a leaked document revealed that Meta, previously known as Facebook was aware of the harmful effects of Instagram’s algorithm on the mental health of teenage girls.
The leaked report reveals a secret operation conducted by an Instagram employee in 2018. The employee made a fake Instagram account as a 13-year-old and searched for dietary information, particularly dieting tips on the platform. However, the shocking part was that the Instagram algorithm started to suggest pages related to “Skinny binge” and “apple core anorexic.” Basically, the recommendations were all based on trendy, viral content and did not show anything that could be backed up with expert advice. These suggestions on social media platforms tend to expose young girls to harmful content that can seriously hamper their mental health.
As per the news, Instagram was well aware of the fact that 33 percent of young users became even more body conscious after using the platform and watching the content that they were exposed to. In fact, they also faced high levels of anxiety issues, and yet the platform’s algorithm continues to expose them to questionable content. In 2017, a doctor blamed Instagram for a death of a 14-year-old by suicide.
Also Read: Data Reveals More Women Attempt Suicide Than Men. So Many Factors Are Making Our Mental Health Fragile
We all know, that millions of young girls are present on social media apps. The glam world around has already increased body consciousness among teenage girls. Now, such triggering content that social media apps deliberately push teenage girls to is very concerning. We should really educate ourselves and the younger girls to know and understand the pros and cons of social media platforms. And make them realise that it should not be controlling them and their minds.