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What the Study Found
Researchers set up a brand new Instagram account pretending to be a 13-year-old girl. Even when they did not like, comment, or engage with anything at all, the platform started feeding the account harmful content almost right away. Posts about eating disorders, self-harm, and depression began showing up quickly — not because the account searched for them, but because the algorithm pushed them there.
Psychologist Jonathan Haidt described the experiment in an Instagram post, writing: "Set up an Instagram or TikTok account as a 13yo girl. When asked about your interests, or in your Explore page, click on things like puppies, kittens, and nature. Within a week, the depressive, self-harm, and eating disorder content starts being fed to you."
In one UK experiment by Channel 4, that harmful content started appearing within just 35 minutes.
Why Are Platforms Doing This?
The answer is simple, and it is not a good one: money.
Social media companies like Meta — which owns Instagram and Facebook — spend billions of dollars building algorithms designed to keep users scrolling as long as possible. More time on the app means more ad money for the company. Haidt put it bluntly: "Social media companies know how to get to the insecurities in preteens and teens, and how to exploit those insecurities. That for them is time on app."
Even when these platforms have child safety measures turned on, the study found that roughly 25% of all posts curated for young users still contained potentially harmful content. That means one out of every four posts a young girl sees could be damaging her self-esteem and mental health — even with protections supposedly in place.
And Meta is not alone. Court documents recently made public show that YouTube employees also deliberately aimed for viewer addiction, choosing watch time over user safety.
The Real Cost to Kids
When a young girl is constantly shown posts that highlight body image issues, unrealistic beauty standards, and mental health struggles, it takes a serious toll. Research consistently links heavy social media use among teenage girls with higher rates of anxiety, depression, and low self-worth.
These are not just statistics. These are real kids — your kids — whose confidence and happiness are being chipped away one curated post at a time.
What Governments and Parents Can Do
The good news is that change is happening. Governments at the state and federal level are beginning to pass laws that hold social media companies more accountable. Age-gating policies — rules that restrict young children from accessing these platforms — are being adopted in more places. This year, Meta already lost two major legal cases for failing to protect its users.
But laws take time. Right now, parents are the most important line of protection for their children.
Haidt urged parents and caregivers to "delay giving kids access to social media. It's not just 'the internet' — it's these aggressive algorithms that will do anything to keep your kid's attention, and will demolish their self-esteem in the process."
Here are some steps you can take right now:
- Talk openly with your child about how social media algorithms work
- Set clear time limits on daily app use
- Check their feeds together so you know what content they are seeing
- Hold off on giving access to Instagram and TikTok for as long as possible
Building Kids Up in a World That Tears Them Down
At Kidnections, we believe every child deserves to grow up feeling confident, valued, and connected to the people who love them most. When social media works against that, parents need the right tools to fight back — and to build something stronger at home.
What Parents Can Do Right Now
If you want to start helping your child build real, lasting self-esteem while strengthening your relationship with them, sign up for the free 9 Day Kidnections Mindset Makeover at www.kidnections.org. It is a free resource built to help parents raise healthier, happier kids who are better prepared for the future — one that is only getting more complicated.
Your child's confidence cannot wait. Start building it today.
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A new study reveals Instagram and TikTok target young girls with harmful content related to insecurities and mental health.
Platforms use addictive algorithms to keep users engaged, deliberately exposing them to dangerous content, impacting mental health and self-esteem.
Governments are implementing age-gating and holding companies accountable, however, parental involvement remains crucial for protection.
Despite safety improvements, harmful content still makes up approximately 25% of curated posts for young users.
