Reply to WSJ: Facebook knows Instagram is harmful to many young users

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

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[quote=Anonymous]Good for Frances Haugen. Interesting she doesn't think the company's problems can be solved by breaking it up though -- as an observer who used to use Instagram, it really felt like the app got much, much worse after being acquired by Facebook and especially once Facebook more fully integrated it with the rest of the company. The algorithms that power the "Explore" tab and suggest new accounts to users really seem to push users toward posts and accounts that encourage or will appeal to people suffering from mental illness.

After I had a baby, I remember just being pummeled suggested posts about losing weight, including lots of suggested accounts for extreme dieting. It was interesting because I never once ran a search for weight loss or baby weight or anything. But the app knew I was a new mom and the algorithm decided that was what I wanted.

Meanwhile, I had PPD and I went out of my way to find accounts that tased about PPD or new motherhood. Most of my instagram activity at that time was focused on those issues. And yes, still, my Explore tab was filled with posts about losing weight, looking good post-baby, tons of Instagram influencers posed in matching outfits with their kids, etc. Again, nothing I'd ever expressed any interest in, and some of it almost certainly directly triggering for my PPD. But the algorithm wasn't interested in my actual interests. It was pushing an agenda, presumably based on what it has found tends to drive engagement (i.e. obsessive scrolling, likes, comments, etc.). Meanwhile, checking the app once or twice a day to look at positive mental health posts and engage in conversations with a small group of women about our mental health after having babies was not something Instagram/Facebook was interested in encouraging, even though it was actually a really helpful part of my recovery.

That company is trash.[/quote]

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