Instagram is in the spotlight after an investigation by the Wall Street Journal. It said that Facebook knew Instagram had a negative impact on some young people, especially girls. The Instagram boss defended himself against the findings but he drew criticism.
One of Facebook's internal findings was that 32% of teenage girls said they felt Instagram made their feelings worse when they weren't confident about their bodies. Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri responded by comparing social media to cars.
"We know that more people die in car accidents, but vehicles create value in the world that is far greater than destroying it. And I think social media is similar," he said.
He was also asked whether Instagram should be restricted if it really harms the mind in the same way that cigarettes harm humans. "Absolutely not and I don't agree with comparing it to drugs or cigarettes because the benefits are very limited," Mosseri said.
"Every thing that people use will always have a negative and positive impact. Vehicles are like that too, there are negative and positive," he added.
However, this answer has received quite a lot of criticism from netizens. Moreover, unlike social media, the automotive industry has strict regulations. One of those who criticized Mosseri was former Facebook executive, Brian Boland.
Mosseri responded to the criticism by saying the vehicle analogy he said might not be perfect. But Facebook executives and Instagram bosses remain convinced that social media is useful for connecting people and more than its negative effects.
