A person who uses Instagram.
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Facebook has repeatedly found its Instagram app harmful to several teens, according to a Wall Street Journal report released Tuesday.
The newspaper cited Facebook studies over the past three years that examined how Instagram affects its young user base, with women most affected being teenagers. An internal Facebook presentation said that among teenagers who reported suicidal thoughts, 13% of British users and 6% of Americans located the problem on Instagram.
“Thirty-two percent of teenage girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse,” the researchers reported. Facebook also found that 14% of U.S. guys said Instagram made them feel worse about themselves.
Although Facebook concluded that a large percentage of teens were not harmed by Instagram, according to the newspaper, the features the social media company identified as the most harmful are part of its key composition.
According to the report, the researchers warned that the Instagram Explore page, which serves users posted on a wide range of accounts, could push users to content that could be harmful. The app also has the culture of posting only the best images and moments and works as an addictive product.
“The aspects of Instagram are exacerbating each other to create a perfect storm,” the investigation said, according to the newspaper.
According to the newspaper, top executives have reviewed the investigation and were quoted in a presentation last year to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Still, it appears Facebook has struggled to manage the problem while keeping the app addicted. Facebook is also creating an Instagram version for under-13s.
Young users are the key to Instagram’s success. More than 40% of Instagram users are 22 or younger, according to materials viewed in the Journal.
A Facebook spokesman did not respond to a request for CNBC comment on the report.
Read the full Wall Street Journal report.
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