Instagram—Instagram algorithm actively promoted eating disorder content to vulnerable teens
Tech Transparency Project investigation in October 2021 found Instagram's recommendation algorithm pushed pro-anorexia and bulimia content to users interested in weight loss, recommending accounts with goal weights as low as 77 pounds. Fair Play for Kids reported one-third of Instagram's pro-eating disorder audience is underage (as young as 9-10 years old) with over 500,000 followers. Meta's 2023-2024 internal research confirmed teens who felt bad about their bodies saw significantly more eating disorder content. Company aware since 2019 internal presentation.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child Safety | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Mental Health | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.443 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (high ×1.5) × confidence (0.59)× agency (negligent ×0.5)
Evidence (1 signal)
Independent investigations found Instagram algorithm actively promoted pro-eating disorder content to teens as young as 9-10 years old
Tech Transparency Project investigation (October 2021) created test accounts showing interest in weight loss and documented Instagram's algorithm recommending accounts promoting anorexia and bulimia with goal weights as low as 77 pounds, affecting both adult and 14-year-old accounts. Fairplay's April 2022 report quantified the scale: Instagram's pro-eating disorder 'bubble' reached ~20 million users, with 33.75% underage (as young as 9), generating an estimated $227.9 million in revenue for Meta. Meta had been aware since at least 2019 but continued to profit from the toxic ecosystem.