Instagram and TikTok are making everyone fail with eating disorders

Dr. Jason Nagata has seen it happen many times. As an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, she treats teenagers hospitalized for eating disorders. He says that many people post and share diet and weight loss content on social media, even when the patient is lying in a hospital bed.

“People with eating disorders can fall into a vicious circle of content related to eating disorders and weight loss,” says Nagata. In such cases, hospital staff may need to deprive them of access to social media to help the patient recover, he says.

Social media platforms like for years Instagram And parent company Meta (Previously Facebook) Being criticized Contain harmful content When Promotes anxiety When depression,especially Young audience.. The use of these sites is also linked to negative body images. Eating disordersBecause of the abundance Filtered and photoshopped images It reinforces unrealistic ideals. Ticktaku, Social video site owned by ByteDance Popular explosion, Is also criticized View videos of eating disorders For teens.

(Note: This story is based on the disclosure to Franceshausen’s Securities and Exchange Commission and was provided to Congress in a form edited by the Legal Team. The edited version received by Congress is CNET. Acquired by a consortium of news organizations, including.).

TikTok and Instagram launched last year over the past few months Unique short video feature, reel -Released Mental Health Guide Even if Financial resources Designed to support people in Negative body image or eating disorders..But lately, Instagram’s efforts have been Leaked internal document Known as Facebook fileWas the first Report by The Wall Street Journal.. These documents contain social network-specific findings on the impact of the platform on mental health. In its findings, the company said 33% of Instagram users and 11% of Facebook users believe the platform exacerbates their body image problems. In addition, more than half of Instagram users reported physical dissatisfaction.

“Overall, Meta concludes in one document,” There is substantive evidence that the use of Instagram and Facebook can increase physical dissatisfaction. “

Continue The Wall Street Journal publications Meta’s internal report on teen mental health leaked by Hogen, Former Facebook Product Manager, Social Network Share Publicly Annotated version of the research deck..About it Data on body image problems For teenage girls, Meta’s answer reflects how people “already experiencing difficult moments” felt about Instagram, rather than the general population of teenage Instagram users. I write that there is.

Still, in Meta’s findings, experts like Renee Engeln, a professor of psychology at Northwestern University, said that eating disorders and body image issues were “too broad and linked to some resources. I can’t solve it, “she said. “People do not suffer from the lack of links to resources. When the whole culture is just a big toxic soup, it is not going to solve our problem.”

Eating disorders and body image problems became even more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic, says Engeln. A study from the University of Pennsylvania, published in November, found that the number of people hospitalized for eating disorders in the United States Doubled during the pandemic..According to other studies, people who had an eating disorder before the pandemic I saw it get worse..

In addition to promoting social support and loss of everyday structure, the blockade has changed many of our diets and exercise habits-all we spend a lot of time scrolling indoors. While you are phone, Says Angria.

“If you were on your toes at the edge of an eating disorder, COVID might have moved you across that line,” she said.

The power of the algorithm

Experts believe that site algorithms like TikTok and Instagram can play an important role in deteriorating negative body image. For example, if someone is suffering from their weight, they tend to look for information related to weight loss. This tells the platform that they want more of that content. As a result, the feed is filled with harmful posts that foster those anxieties.

“Algorithms are doing their best to optimize, not necessarily for human well-being,” said Professor of Communications. Stanford Social Media Lab.. “They are optimized to make these companies profitable, and it’s usually about increasing engagement and attention to make advertising more effective.”

Elisa Aas is a coach for people who recovered from bulimia nervosa and orthorexia (an unhealthy obsession with a healthy diet) in 2014 and are now with eating disorders.She is using her Instagram page @followtheintuition, Has over 8,000 followers and shares tips and lessons with others who may be struggling. Aas, on the other hand, says social media can help people suffering from eating disorders find the coveted support and resources. But on the other hand, it can be difficult not to compare yourself to others or scroll through toxic diet-related content endlessly, which can make people feel sick.

“No matter how much you are aware, it’s very easy to get hooked on the comparison,” Earth said. “There are so many comparisons out there that recovery content can be a trigger.”

Social media companies say they are taking steps to help people who may be suffering from these problems. A TikTok representative told CNET:We are committed to promoting a supportive environment for those who choose to share their personal health journey and removing content that normalizes or beautifies our violation of eating disorders. Community guidelines.. ”

In the blog post on the news room page, “Limit unnecessary content, “TikTok advises users to press and hold the video they don’t want to watch and tap the” I’m not interested “button. This will display “There will be fewer such videos in the future.”

Instagram did not provide record comments to CNET.However, the user taps the three dots in the upper right corner of the post[興味なし]You can also flag the content you don’t want to see by selecting. Instagram does not block or remove content related to suicide, self-harm, hospitalization or recovery from eating disorders, but instead recommends that type of content to users.Earlier this year, Instagram launched a tool called Mata Highly confidential content control, This gives you more control over the amount of sensitive content displayed in Explore.

In an internal report, Facebook said, “The mass media has long been accused of physical dissatisfaction,” and is investigating what the impact of social media will be. While traditional media is full of modified images, the pitfall of social media is that users compare themselves to their peers in addition to influencers and celebrities. If the content is from a more familiar person, it can be difficult to tell what is genuine and what is not.

There is also a distance between us and the celebrities featured in movies, TV shows and magazines, says Angria. Those stars and models are not the ones we know, so we tend to better understand that what we see there is not real. However, the same filters may not always be available for online content.

“One of the most powerful things social media does is to give the impression that certain types of life and certain types of appearances are more accessible than they really are. Not just looking at a celebrity who looks perfect. That’s why I’m distrustful, “she says. “But you can also see images of companions that have been completed, curated, and edited, and they feel more realistic to us.”

The solutions to these problems remain elusive. Researchers have not yet collected enough data on TikTok and are better aware of its implications, Engern said. NS App algorithmPresents different information to different users depending on their interests, which can be difficult to study. It also makes it difficult to understand what changes should be made.

“We-users, posters, creators-must change things, otherwise we just have to leave,” says Angria. “You can’t count on social media companies to protect your mental health. That’s not what they do.”

Instagram’s internal report contains some suggestions on how to reduce physical dissatisfaction “done in previous studies, but not necessarily backed by specific findings.” One recommendation is to remind you that “Instagram images are edited frequently”, including disclosure when someone creates an account. Another suggestion: “Given the difficulty of limiting exposure to content that induces physical dissatisfaction, some studies have concluded that reducing social media use and screen time is the best way to go. “

That’s what Nagata, who works with inpatients with eating disorders, recommends to those who are having a hard time. He suggests turning off notifications, avoiding the use of social media before going to bed, and keeping your smartphone away from bed while you sleep. However, he adds that much of the responsibility for managing harmful posts and increasing transparency about findings and algorithms that direct users to specific content lies with the company.

“There is growing awareness of social media and body image issues, but improving these issues will require further changes by social media companies and government regulations,” he says.

For information on how to get help and treatment options for eating disorders National Eating Disorders Association..You can also Contact the helpline If you need to talk to someone.