Instagram teen accounts still show suicide content, study claims

A recent study has raised concerns about the continued presence of suicide-related content on Instagram, despite the platform's efforts to improve safety for teenage users. The research, conducted by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), found that 30 out of 47 Instagram safety tools for teens were either "substantially ineffective or no longer exist." The study examined the accessibility and effectiveness of Instagram's safety features, such as content warnings, account blocking, and content moderation. Researchers discovered that many of these tools were not easily accessible or did not adequately address the issue of suicide-related content. The findings come as Instagram has faced criticism for the impact of its platform on the mental health of young users. The study's authors have called for more comprehensive and effective safety measures to protect vulnerable teenagers from harmful content on the social media platform. The study's conclusions underline the ongoing challenge social media companies face in ensuring the well-being of their younger users and the need for continued efforts to address this issue.