Parental monitoring on children’s accounts is a nice addition to social platforms because it can help prevent addiction among younger users, but what if it only exists as filler and doesn’t really curb children’s excessive use of social media? This may seem surprising, but it’s what was revealed in an internal study at Meta, known as “Project MYST.”
The research was conducted in partnership with the University of Chicago. The study found that parental supervision and controls, such as time limits and restricted access, have minimal impact on adolescents’ compulsive social media use.
It also indicates that teens who experience stressful life events are more likely to have difficulty moderating their social media habits.
Key findings from Meta’s MYST project
These revelations came to light during a recent trial in Los Angeles County, where the plaintiff, identified as Kaley, and her mother, sued social media companies for creating “addictive and dangerous” products.
She claims in her lawsuit that these platforms contribute to anxiety, depression and other mental health problems among young users.
Kaley’s attorney referenced the findings of Project MYST, which concluded that parental involvement had little effect on teens’ attention to their social media use, based on a survey of 1,000 teens and their parents.
The study also highlighted that parents and teens agreed that there was no significant link between parental supervision and how teens interacted with social media.
The hard truth says that tools like built-in parental controls on platforms like Instagram are insufficient to prevent users from abusing them.
