Tech giant Meta has been scrutinized in the past for not giving complete access to researchers wishing to carry out studies related to its app.
That might be changing really soon as Facebook’s parent firm has just said yes to providing authors of studies related to mental health with more access to Instagram data.
The study would determine whether or not using popular apps like Instagram can impact the health of young minds, including teens and young adults.
The program is a pilot test that was rolled out recently in combination with the COS and could enable more future studies offering greater insights into the world of social media and a teenager’s well-being.
Instagram would provide a selected team of research experts with access to its data to carryout the study for a limited timespan, nearly six months.
The sort of data on offer would include insights related to the number of accounts followed by a teenager and how they end up using Instagram, what settings are prevalent on the app, and others. The company has also made it clear that no demographic data of its users would be up for grabs for the study, and neither could it provide access to personal info like messages, posts, and comments.
The program will have the COS select seven study proposals in various domains linked to the mental health of the youth but Meta cannot be involved in this decision. Similarly, the authors would be responsible for recruiting all the young participants with consent taken from their parents/guardians.
So in case you’re wondering why Instagram is being selected in the first place, the answer is simple. The app is popular and is necessary to comprehend the well-being when different data sources are combined including studies and surveys.
The news comes at a time when parents, researchers, policymakers, and activists are racing ahead to determine how young minds can best be supported to navigate online places. However, more data is required to get a comprehensive understanding of the entire picture.
The app’s impact on teenager’s mental health has been scrutinized before like when Frances Haugen mentioned through leaked papers that teenagers using Instagram confirmed feeling more anxious and depressed.
This paved the way to force Meta to make more data available so researchers could carry out studies on this claim.
Since then, we’ve witnessed Instagram launch more safety and privacy features designed to protect young minds, especially teenagers. But still, the growing number of concerns that experts have related to Instagram and other top apps remains today.
This is why we’re seeing a growing rise in safety bills for kids and also more laws related to online age verification for apps across different places, especially in the US.
Image: DIW-Aigen
Read next: Antitrust Regulators In The EU Scrutinize Mega AI Deal Between Google And Samsung Over Anti-Competitive Behavior
That might be changing really soon as Facebook’s parent firm has just said yes to providing authors of studies related to mental health with more access to Instagram data.
The study would determine whether or not using popular apps like Instagram can impact the health of young minds, including teens and young adults.
The program is a pilot test that was rolled out recently in combination with the COS and could enable more future studies offering greater insights into the world of social media and a teenager’s well-being.
Instagram would provide a selected team of research experts with access to its data to carryout the study for a limited timespan, nearly six months.
The sort of data on offer would include insights related to the number of accounts followed by a teenager and how they end up using Instagram, what settings are prevalent on the app, and others. The company has also made it clear that no demographic data of its users would be up for grabs for the study, and neither could it provide access to personal info like messages, posts, and comments.
The program will have the COS select seven study proposals in various domains linked to the mental health of the youth but Meta cannot be involved in this decision. Similarly, the authors would be responsible for recruiting all the young participants with consent taken from their parents/guardians.
So in case you’re wondering why Instagram is being selected in the first place, the answer is simple. The app is popular and is necessary to comprehend the well-being when different data sources are combined including studies and surveys.
The news comes at a time when parents, researchers, policymakers, and activists are racing ahead to determine how young minds can best be supported to navigate online places. However, more data is required to get a comprehensive understanding of the entire picture.
The app’s impact on teenager’s mental health has been scrutinized before like when Frances Haugen mentioned through leaked papers that teenagers using Instagram confirmed feeling more anxious and depressed.
This paved the way to force Meta to make more data available so researchers could carry out studies on this claim.
Since then, we’ve witnessed Instagram launch more safety and privacy features designed to protect young minds, especially teenagers. But still, the growing number of concerns that experts have related to Instagram and other top apps remains today.
This is why we’re seeing a growing rise in safety bills for kids and also more laws related to online age verification for apps across different places, especially in the US.
Image: DIW-Aigen
Read next: Antitrust Regulators In The EU Scrutinize Mega AI Deal Between Google And Samsung Over Anti-Competitive Behavior
