Time limits and increased age limits can help mitigate social media harm on teens

New Ideas in MarketingEssential news for marketers, summarised by YouGov
October 18, 2021, 4:15 PM GMT+0

A recently leaked report said Facebook was aware of Instagram's negative impact on younger users and chose to delay setting limits itself. 

Documents leaked by a whistle-blower last month revealed the company has been conducting its research on the adverse effects of Instagram. The 209 pages also said that the California-headquartered company was also aware of possible solutions to mitigate the harms.

While most smartphones have parental controls, Facebook could enforce time limits for teen users under 18. Similarly, a blackout period overnight could also be helpful to nudge teens to avoid using their smartphones at night.

Along with raising the minimum age to create social media accounts to 16,17, or 18, users can be asked to submit a photo ID when creating an account. This step will prevent kids from signing up until they are mature enough to deal with the pressures of social media. 

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