Mosseri testified after Haugen, a former product manager at Facebook, leaked documents indicating that Instagram knew through internal studies of the Application risks for younger users. This is one of what was revealed in the case known as the Facebook Papers.
- “Facebook Papers”: What are the charges against the tech giant?
- Who is Francis Hogan, the engineer who wants to “save” Facebook
In his prepared testimony for the audience, Mosseri said, “Sometimes young people come to Instagram when they are dealing with complex issues in their lives. I think Instagram can help a lot of them right now.” “This is something that our study also suggested,” he said.
When asked, the executive did not guarantee that Instagram would forgo developing a version of the app for children under the age of 13. He limited himself to saying that the social network will not allow the creation of accounts for children between the ages of 10 and 12 without parental consent.
Documents leaked by Haugen indicate that Facebook knew Instagram was “toxic” to teens. A study conducted in 2019 revealed this Instagram reflects a negative self-image of a third of young women under the age of 20.
Another, from 2020, showed it 32% of teens think social network use has worsened their body imagewhich they are no longer satisfied with.
Impact on mental health
“Facebook polls have, for years, warned of the harmful effect of Instagram on teens’ mental health,” said Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the consumer protection subcommittee on which Mosseri has appeared.
The MP said the platform continues to “benefit from content because it means more traffic, more ads, and more dollars.”
Instagram icon. Photo: Reuters/Thomas White
“I’m frustrated because it’s the fourth time in two years we’ve talked to someone from Meta (the controller of Instagram and Facebook) and I feel like the conversation is repeating itself over and over,” said Senator Marsha Blackburn. Republican Leader of the Subcommittee.
In mid-November, several US states opened an investigation to determine whether Meta had deliberately allowed children and teens to use the social network despite knowing that the platform could affect their physical and mental health.
On the eve of the hearing, Instagram announced changes to enhance protection for young people. The app will prevent users from tagging teens in posts that you don’t follow in their profiles and will be stricter about what teens recommend.
‘Take a break’ feature arrives in Brazil in early 2022 – Photo: Instagram
The social network will also, in March 2022, propose tools to let parents know how much time their children spend on the app and set limits. It will soon give you access to an information center with tutorials and expert advice.
Instagram released so far ‘Pause’ option, which will suggest users to pause for a while before continuing to view content in the app. At the moment, it is released in only four countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. The social network stated that the resource will have global reach from January 2022.
In January, Mosseri said, the app will provide a space for teens to review their Instagram activity, which includes everything from content posted on their profile to likes and comments.
This step will provide a way to quickly get rid of something that has been shared so they can “manage their digital footprint more easily”.
Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.