Instagram is displaying more content related to eating disorders to teenage users identified as struggling with mental health, according to internal Meta research revealed exclusively to Reuters. The documents show the platform’s recommendation algorithms amplified posts about weight loss, dieting, adn body image even after these teens exhibited signs of disordered eating.The findings raise fresh concerns about Meta’s ability to protect vulnerable young users on Instagram,despite repeated pledges to prioritize their well-being. Internal Meta reports, spanning from March to October 2022, detail how the platform continued to surface potentially harmful content to a subset of over 17,000 teenage users flagged as “at-risk” of eating disorders. This issue is particularly critical as eating disorders have seen a rise in prevalence among adolescents, with potentially life-threatening consequences, and scrutiny of social media’s role in exacerbating these conditions intensifies.
the research revealed that approximately 6% of the content shown to these teens was categorized as “eating disorder adjacent,” meaning it focused on related topics without explicitly promoting eating disorders. Though,this figure represented a substantially higher proportion than the 0.8% of similar content shown to a control group of teens not identified as vulnerable.Meta researchers noted the algorithms appeared to be “over-optimizing” for engagement, prioritizing content that kept users scrolling, even if it was detrimental to their mental health.
one internal document from May 2022 stated, “We see evidence that our recommendations are leading vulnerable teens to content that could exacerbate their body image issues.” Another report, from October 2022, found that the platform’s algorithms were recommending content related to “extreme weight loss” and “fitness” to teens who had previously engaged with similar posts.
Meta spokesperson, Andy Stone, stated the company is “committed to creating a safe experience for everyone, especially teens,” and that they have introduced features like “Take a Break” and parental controls to address these concerns. He added that the research cited represents a snapshot in time and that Meta has since made changes to its algorithms and policies.
However,advocacy groups argue these measures are insufficient. ”Meta knows this content is harmful and continues to profit from it,” said Sandon Thompson, a spokesperson for the National Eating Disorders Association. “These internal documents prove they are prioritizing engagement over the safety of their users.”
The documents reviewed by Reuters are part of a broader trove of internal Meta papers disclosed by whistleblower Frances Haugen, and currently being used in ongoing congressional investigations into the company’s practices. The findings are likely to fuel further calls for greater regulation of social media platforms and increased accountability for protecting young users.
