Meta study flags teen risks on Instagram

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Instagram shows more 'eating disorder adjacent' content to vulnerable teens

Residents inspect the damage to a house in Shahkot Village, Neelum Valley, Pakistani Kashmir.

Teenagers pose for a photo while holding smartphones in front of the Instagram logo in this illustration taken September 11, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Meta researchers have found that teens who report that Instagram regularly made them feel bad about their bodies saw significantly more "eating disorder adjacent content" than those who did not, according to an internal document reviewed by Reuters.

"Teens who reported frequent body dissatisfaction after viewing posts on Instagram… saw about three times more body-focused/ED-adjacent content than other teens," the authors wrote, referring to eating disorders.

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