Instagram and mental health concerns have long been a topic of discussion, especially when it comes to teenagers and young adults. The trend of spending hours online and constantly being on the phone has led to a rise in mental health issues among children around the world. According to research published by Claw Research CenterIn 2023, 8 percent of teens say they use Instagram ‘almost constantly’. There is a lot of evidence that suggests excessive screen-time is harmful, but whether Instagram alone can be held responsible for it is a question. To answer such questions, Meta has finally opened up Instagram’s data to a handful of researchers so that they can get a deeper insight into the matter.

In collaboration with the Center for Open Science (COS), the pilot program aims to shed light on the relationship between social media use and the mental well-being of teens. This program may result in a number of independent studies. But does this mean that Instagram is violating privacy rules? During this program, researchers will only have access to data for 6 months. This data may include how many accounts a teen follows, the duration of Instagram use, their account settings, and more. But it’s worth noting that Meta will not provide access to a user’s demographic information, nor will it include the content of their posts, comments, or messages.

Instagram and mental health

As reported the AtlanticCOS will select 7 research proposals in different areas of mental health. This will be free from interference from META.

Scientists should also enlist adolescents to participate in the study and obtain consent from their parents. According to COS, analyzing data directly from Instagram in conjunction with other research methods such as surveys and studies can provide a more comprehensive understanding of adolescents’ well-being and provide valuable information that may not be possible with a single approach.

“Parents, policymakers, educators, and technology companies are grappling with how best to help young people navigate the online world, but we need more data to understand the full picture,” Meta research chief Curtis Cobb said in the report.

Instagram’s impact on teen mental health has been in the spotlight. In 2021, a whistleblower, Frances Haugen, exposed a collection of confidential documents, including internal studies. She revealed that teens blamed Instagram for their increased anxiety and depression. This prompted scientists to urge Meta to share its mental health research more openly, leading to a push for more transparency and collaboration.