Instagram—Frances Haugen revealed internal research showing Instagram harms teen mental health
Former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen leaked internal documents to Congress and testified on October 5, 2021, revealing that Meta's own research found 13.5% of teen girls said Instagram worsens suicidal thoughts and 17% said it contributes to eating disorders. Internal presentation stated 'we make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls.' Research showed Instagram's algorithm can lead children from innocuous content to anorexia-promoting content quickly.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child Safety | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Mental Health | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Whistleblower Protection | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.590 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (critical ×2) × confidence (0.59)× agency (negligent ×0.5)
Evidence (1 signal)
Frances Haugen testified to Congress with leaked internal research
Haugen testified before Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection on October 5, 2021, revealing internal Meta research showing Instagram's harm to teen mental health.