Meta is giving a select group of researchers access to its data to study how the platform affects the mental health of teenagers and young adults in Instagram he reported about it a The Verge. It was launched jointly with the Center for Open Science (COS). pilot program may result in studies that shed light on the connections between social media and young people’s mental well-being.
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Researchers have access to up to six months of Instagram data, including information on how many accounts a teenager follows, how much they use Instagram and what settings they use. At the same time, Meta does not provide access to users’ demographic data, nor to the content of posts, comments and messages.
According to COS, research conducted directly from Instagram data can contribute to the understanding of mental well-being when combined with other data sources such as surveys and other studies.
The impact of Instagram on the mental health of teenagers has been in the spotlight for some time. Internal research was previously leaked suggesting that teenagers are blaming the popular social networking site for a rise in anxiety and depression. Scientists later asked Meta to make its mental health research more accessible. Since then, Instagram has introduced features designed to protect children within the app, but concerns about Instagram and other online platforms remain.
2024-07-18 10:31:58