Facebook (now known as Meta) has recently faced a wave of lawsuits over the company’s platforms and their negative impact on youth mental health; Now the company’s Instagram platform encourages teens to “relax” and stop consuming harmful content.
Breitbart News recently reported that Instagram’s parent company, Facebook (now Meta), has been affected by several lawsuits regarding teen mental health. Law firm Beasley Allen has filed eight lawsuits alleging that the company’s Facebook and Instagram platforms are harmful to teens’ mental health. The law firm issued a statement stating that Meta is not only “exploiting youth for profit” but actively trying to make their platform as psychologically challenging as possible and failing to protect its users.
Mark Zuckerberg discusses Instagram (AFP/Getty)
(Getty photos)
In response, the protocol says Instagram is now influencing teens to turn on “Take a Break” reminders and stop using harmful content. In late 2021, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announced a new subscription feature called Take a Break, which will allow users to set in-app reminders to stop taking a break after a set amount of time.
The new Instagram update includes a partnership program with young creators that encourages teens using the platform to turn on the “Take A Break” feature. Participating creators include Soi Nguyen, who regularly posts popular “Eat with Me” videos, and climate activist Maya Penn.
Dina Geldvert, head of global policy programs at Instagram, said of the challenges of implementing these features: “How can we not jeopardize the freedom and autonomy of young people? How can we not swear, but actually articulate and express the value of including such a thing?”
Geldwerth has selected creators who talk to young people about topics like mental health in a way that’s already not seen as “too serious” or patronizing. University of Wisconsin youth health expert Megan Moreno has commented on whether the campaign will be effective, citing Truth’s anti-smoking campaign as an example of when health-focused influencers’ efforts can go wrong.
“One of the really effective things about the Truth campaign is to encourage a young person to be a rebel, not follow what the company tells you,” Moreno said. “It’s harder when the message comes from within.”
Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry at Stanford, noted that the Break feature could have the opposite effect and encourage teens to spend more time with apps. “They may be of some help to people who aren’t already addicted, but I doubt they’ll make a big difference to those who are already struggling with some form of addiction to this digital content,” Lembke said. “Finding workarounds can further increase their appeal, especially for young people who enjoy the power of inhibition the most.”
Read more about the protocol here.
Source: Breitbart
