One has to wonder whether after all the unfavourable reports, Frances Haugen´s revelations and subsequent harsh comments at all levels from mental health organisations as well as the US Senate, have had any effect on Meta and it’s strategy. It is not a secret, as discussed in this article in The Atlantic, that social media can be toxic, and none more so than Instagram, that Meta bought in 2012, where “The toxicity comes from the very nature of a platform that girls use to post photographs of themselves and await the public judgments of others”. The publication claims that Meta´s products have “probably harmed millions of girls” (in the US alone), though notably this was not only from Instagram, but also Snapchat and then Facebook, in that order for harm. As a simple “solution” the author suggests delaying usage of Instagram and other social media platforms for children until they are of senior school age, but also propose that “More power should be given to parents, less to companies”. At Escudo Web we have made this step easier: when school devices are taken home the parent (using a mobile app) can manage what their child can access internet-wise and if exposed for long periods can also freeze the screen of the device. With our mobile phone development (Blabloo in Europe and Geniora in Asia) a parent can manage what apps a child uses (and when), as well as their access to internet sites (and much more besides), thus limiting the exposure of young people to what can be toxic and inappropriate content.
#socialmedia #mentalhealth
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/11/facebooks-dangerous-experiment-teen-girls/620767/