Social media algorithms steer women toward harmful content, researchers and commentators say
Commentary and research reportedly show that social media algorithms steer women and girls toward unrealistic content that fuels harmful social comparisons, leading to depression, anxiety, eating disorders and self-harm, while simultaneously steering young men toward misogynistic material.
What happened
Algorithms such as Instagram's steer women toward posts with unrealistic content, which the companies know fuel social comparisons. New York University professor Jonathan Haidt and others have noted this leads teen girls in particular to become depressed, anxious and prone to eating disorders and self-harm.
TikTok and other algorithms steer young men to misogynistic content in the 'manosphere,' which researchers say is unlikely to be helpful to women.
Reported impact
Teen girls exposed to these algorithms reportedly become depressed, anxious and prone to eating disorders, self-harm and even suicide. One study found that unplugging people from social media greatly improved their well-being and happiness.
Governance controls
Tech companies have not borne responsibility for the content that goes out over their platforms, and there is no regulatory body equivalent to the FDA that evaluates technology's impacts on society before deployment. The 'Big Four' tech companies alone spent $64 million on lobbying in 2023.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.