Meta Platforms Inc’s META Instagram has initiated a pilot program in collaboration with the Center for Open Science (COS), permitting selected researchers to access its data.
This move aims to investigate the potential impact of social media on the mental well-being of teens and young adults.
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As reported by The Atlantic, the program will span six months and provide researchers with anonymized insights into user behavior, excluding sensitive information such as demographics and specific content details.
Meta says that the data shared will encompass details like account usage patterns and settings, but will not include post contents, comments, or messages.
COS will independently select up to seven research proposals focusing on various aspects of teen mental health. Researchers are required to recruit participants directly and obtain parental consent.
Curtiss Cobb, Meta's vice president of research, stated: "Parents, policymakers, academics, and technology companies are grappling with how best to support young people as they navigate online spaces, but we need more data to understand the full picture."
This initiative follows concerns raised by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen in 2021, who shared internal documents suggesting a possible link between Instagram usage and increased rates of anxiety and depression among teens. These revelations have prompted calls for more transparent research efforts from Meta.
In response, Instagram has introduced safety features aimed at protecting younger users. However, legislative actions across the US continue to underscore the urgency of addressing the potential impacts of online platforms on children.
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