WSJ: Facebook knows Instagram is harmful to many young users—especially teen girls

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And video game makers know their games are horribly addictive to teen boys. What else is new.

Video games are addictive, but the harm is that they're a waste of time. They don't encourage self-harm, eating disorders, or psychopathic bullying behavior.

Right, they don't encourage self-harm, but many encourage harm to others. When was the last time you saw a video game?

Are you really claiming that video games make kids violent? Go back to the 90s, Tipper Gore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you all seem to think you just invented everything. You think that before this everyone just felt great about themselves and there were no anorexic girls? We had Cosmo, and Seventeen and Vogue and MTV to give us unrealistic images. Instagram and Facebook didn't invent it and aren't the cause of it. The problem is women and the way in which we have done our part to perpetuate this misogyny via self loathing.

All the things that these girls are worried about are things that are judged and enforced and reinforced almost primarily and most harshly by other women. Most men don't care if you look exactly like JLo. They don't care what you wear and if your shoes are cute. THey don't care if your brows are on point. They don't care about visible panty lines. They do not see us through the same lenses as we see ourselves and each other. So we can blame Instagram we can blame the patriarchy but really the problem is ours to fix. Doesn't matter how we got here, this is where we are. Women and only women can fix this.

I agree with a lot this, but social media is not the same as MTV and teen magazines. We didn’t carry those things around in our pockets all day, feeling them vibrate every time something new happened. Yes, the magazines’ images and messaging were problematic, but there’s a difference between thumbing through something that’s printed 12 times a year and being flooded with a constant barrage of that stuff, day and night. Nobody was literally addicted to MTV or Cosmo. We had the mental space to think about other things during the day, and the other stuff was downtime entertainment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you all seem to think you just invented everything. You think that before this everyone just felt great about themselves and there were no anorexic girls? We had Cosmo, and Seventeen and Vogue and MTV to give us unrealistic images. Instagram and Facebook didn't invent it and aren't the cause of it. The problem is women and the way in which we have done our part to perpetuate this misogyny via self loathing.

All the things that these girls are worried about are things that are judged and enforced and reinforced almost primarily and most harshly by other women. Most men don't care if you look exactly like JLo. They don't care what you wear and if your shoes are cute. THey don't care if your brows are on point. They don't care about visible panty lines. They do not see us through the same lenses as we see ourselves and each other. So we can blame Instagram we can blame the patriarchy but really the problem is ours to fix. Doesn't matter how we got here, this is where we are. Women and only women can fix this.

I agree with a lot this, but social media is not the same as MTV and teen magazines. We didn’t carry those things around in our pockets all day, feeling them vibrate every time something new happened. Yes, the magazines’ images and messaging were problematic, but there’s a difference between thumbing through something that’s printed 12 times a year and being flooded with a constant barrage of that stuff, day and night. Nobody was literally addicted to MTV or Cosmo. We had the mental space to think about other things during the day, and the other stuff was downtime entertainment.

You are correct but this is something that affects everyone who uses it. I hate the idea that we are putting out teen girls as damsels being ruined by our culture and again taking the onus off the real responsible party which is the larger culture and social order that is maintained by women themselves a la the Marthas in Handmaids Tale. So even if we shut off Instagram the whole seeing the value and ranking the worth of a woman by her appearance isn’t going anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Watch the Social Dilemma

[Anonymous]

I hope all those posters who say they allow their kids even younger than 13 get Instagram read the WSJ article.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you all seem to think you just invented everything. You think that before this everyone just felt great about themselves and there were no anorexic girls? We had Cosmo, and Seventeen and Vogue and MTV to give us unrealistic images. Instagram and Facebook didn't invent it and aren't the cause of it. The problem is women and the way in which we have done our part to perpetuate this misogyny via self loathing.

All the things that these girls are worried about are things that are judged and enforced and reinforced almost primarily and most harshly by other women. Most men don't care if you look exactly like JLo. They don't care what you wear and if your shoes are cute. THey don't care if your brows are on point. They don't care about visible panty lines. They do not see us through the same lenses as we see ourselves and each other. So we can blame Instagram we can blame the patriarchy but really the problem is ours to fix. Doesn't matter how we got here, this is where we are. Women and only women can fix this.

The article focuses on appearance and eating disorders, but the harm done by these apps goes far beyond that. They’re designed to capitalize on your vulnerabilities, whatever those may be. I don’t think they’re necessarily painting teen girls as damsels in distress, it’s more that teens of all genders happen to be particularly vulnerable populations, desperate for acceptance and belonging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And video game makers know their games are horribly addictive to teen boys. What else is new.

Video games are addictive, but the harm is that they're a waste of time. They don't encourage self-harm, eating disorders, or psychopathic bullying behavior.

Right, they don't encourage self-harm, but many encourage harm to others. When was the last time you saw a video game?

Are you really claiming that video games make kids violent? Go back to the 90s, Tipper Gore.

It is interesting that video games(mostly played by boys) is seen as bad(by women)and must be restricted. Instagram(mostly use by girls/women) is seen as great even though Instagram itself provided research that shows it is harmful to girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And video game makers know their games are horribly addictive to teen boys. What else is new.

Video games are addictive, but the harm is that they're a waste of time. They don't encourage self-harm, eating disorders, or psychopathic bullying behavior.

Right, they don't encourage self-harm, but many encourage harm to others. When was the last time you saw a video game?

Are you really claiming that video games make kids violent? Go back to the 90s, Tipper Gore.

It is interesting that video games(mostly played by boys) is seen as bad(by women)and must be restricted. Instagram(mostly use by girls/women) is seen as great even though Instagram itself provided research that shows it is harmful to girls.

Who thinks Instagram is good for anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you all seem to think you just invented everything. You think that before this everyone just felt great about themselves and there were no anorexic girls? We had Cosmo, and Seventeen and Vogue and MTV to give us unrealistic images. Instagram and Facebook didn't invent it and aren't the cause of it. The problem is women and the way in which we have done our part to perpetuate this misogyny via self loathing.

All the things that these girls are worried about are things that are judged and enforced and reinforced almost primarily and most harshly by other women. Most men don't care if you look exactly like JLo. They don't care what you wear and if your shoes are cute. THey don't care if your brows are on point. They don't care about visible panty lines. They do not see us through the same lenses as we see ourselves and each other. So we can blame Instagram we can blame the patriarchy but really the problem is ours to fix. Doesn't matter how we got here, this is where we are. Women and only women can fix this.

I agree with a lot this, but social media is not the same as MTV and teen magazines. We didn’t carry those things around in our pockets all day, feeling them vibrate every time something new happened. Yes, the magazines’ images and messaging were problematic, but there’s a difference between thumbing through something that’s printed 12 times a year and being flooded with a constant barrage of that stuff, day and night. Nobody was literally addicted to MTV or Cosmo. We had the mental space to think about other things during the day, and the other stuff was downtime entertainment.

DP. Agree but then the problem isn’t access but unlimited access. Make your kid turn off the notifications and limit minutes per day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you all seem to think you just invented everything. You think that before this everyone just felt great about themselves and there were no anorexic girls? We had Cosmo, and Seventeen and Vogue and MTV to give us unrealistic images. Instagram and Facebook didn't invent it and aren't the cause of it. The problem is women and the way in which we have done our part to perpetuate this misogyny via self loathing.

All the things that these girls are worried about are things that are judged and enforced and reinforced almost primarily and most harshly by other women. Most men don't care if you look exactly like JLo. They don't care what you wear and if your shoes are cute. THey don't care if your brows are on point. They don't care about visible panty lines. They do not see us through the same lenses as we see ourselves and each other. So we can blame Instagram we can blame the patriarchy but really the problem is ours to fix. Doesn't matter how we got here, this is where we are. Women and only women can fix this.

A lot of girls who couldn’t care less about eyebrows or panty lines are coming to the conclusion that they’re not girls after all, and it’s heavily fueled by social media.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you all seem to think you just invented everything. You think that before this everyone just felt great about themselves and there were no anorexic girls? We had Cosmo, and Seventeen and Vogue and MTV to give us unrealistic images. Instagram and Facebook didn't invent it and aren't the cause of it. The problem is women and the way in which we have done our part to perpetuate this misogyny via self loathing.

All the things that these girls are worried about are things that are judged and enforced and reinforced almost primarily and most harshly by other women. Most men don't care if you look exactly like JLo. They don't care what you wear and if your shoes are cute. THey don't care if your brows are on point. They don't care about visible panty lines. They do not see us through the same lenses as we see ourselves and each other. So we can blame Instagram we can blame the patriarchy but really the problem is ours to fix. Doesn't matter how we got here, this is where we are. Women and only women can fix this.

The article focuses on appearance and eating disorders, but the harm done by these apps goes far beyond that. They’re designed to capitalize on your vulnerabilities, whatever those may be. I don’t think they’re necessarily painting teen girls as damsels in distress, it’s more that teens of all genders happen to be particularly vulnerable populations, desperate for acceptance and belonging.

It is not new. Magazines did the same thing. It is not the cause but a symptom of our greater cultural disorder. You can ban instagram but unless we as a society change how we see and value women then it won't make a difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And video game makers know their games are horribly addictive to teen boys. What else is new.

Video games are addictive, but the harm is that they're a waste of time. They don't encourage self-harm, eating disorders, or psychopathic bullying behavior.

Right, they don't encourage self-harm, but many encourage harm to others. When was the last time you saw a video game?

Are you really claiming that video games make kids violent? Go back to the 90s, Tipper Gore.

Actually video games do promote violence and are linked to many of the mass shootings.

A child who is mentally healthy, rounded, and well adjusted can use these games responsibly and differentiate fantasy from reality.

A mentally ill child may be spurred on by video games to bomb or shoot up his or her school.

If you think you can’t be easily influenced online, you missed the TikTok craze that made kids vandalized their school bathrooms.

[Anonymous]

The difference between the media we consumed and social media is stark. Not only are teens consuming it, they are it. They feel the need to curate their life for social media. There is no break. You are judged for things you do currently AND for your past deeds. I think that’s the hardest part. There is no room for F ups like we had. That’s a lot of pressure.

[Anonymous]

Social media is simply the symptom not the disease. So much easier to blame someone else than look at your part in perpetuating the damage our broader culture does to girls a d then working to change it. We have normalized women cutting up their bodies because “it makes them feel good” we have normalized injecting a paralytic toxin into our faces, we have normalized hating our bodies and seeing other women as threats and rivals. That is what is damaging our girls Instagram just accelerates what is already there. Just as Trump didn’t make people racist, he just made some people think it was ok. Instagram didn’t create this, it has simply amplified it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And video game makers know their games are horribly addictive to teen boys. What else is new.

Video games are addictive, but the harm is that they're a waste of time. They don't encourage self-harm, eating disorders, or psychopathic bullying behavior.

Right, they don't encourage self-harm, but many encourage harm to others. When was the last time you saw a video game?

Are you really claiming that video games make kids violent? Go back to the 90s, Tipper Gore.

It is interesting that video games(mostly played by boys) is seen as bad(by women)and must be restricted. Instagram(mostly use by girls/women) is seen as great even though Instagram itself provided research that shows it is harmful to girls.

Who thinks Instagram is good for anyone?

- all the moms who let their daughters use it, or sometimes jump in alongside their daughters.