A report published in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday has revealed that Instagram is harmful for teenage users. The report is based on Facebook studies over the past three years that examined how Instagram affects its young user base, with teenage girls being most notably harmed.
As per the WSJ report, among teenagers who reported suicidal thoughts, about 6 per cent in the US and 13 per cent in the UK traced them back to Instagram.
The researchers noted that many of these problems are unique to Instagram because it focuses heavily on body and lifestyle, meaning “social comparison is worse on 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, as per CNBC.
The research also found “teens blame Instagram for increases in the rate of anxiety and depression”, a reaction researchers described as “unprompted and consistent across all groups”.
