Parental control ineffective to curb kids' social media addiction: Meta's internal research

Parental oversight on kids' accounts is a pleasant addition to social platforms as it may help prevent addiction among young users, but what if it only exists as a filler and doesn't really curb kids' excessive social media use? It may sound astounding, but this is what has been revealed in an internal study at Meta, known as “Project MYST”.

The research was conducted in partnership with the University of Chicago. It found that parental supervision and controls—such as time limits and restricted access—have minimal impact on teens' compulsive social media use.

It also indicated that adolescents who experience stressful life events are more likely to struggle with moderating their social media habits.

Key findings of Meta's Project MYST

These revelations came to light during a recent trial in Los Angeles County, where the plaintiff, identified as Kaley, along with 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 issues among young users.

Kaley’s lawyer referenced findings from Project MYST, which concluded that parental involvement has little effect on teens' attentiveness to their social media use, based on a survey of 1,000 teens and their parents.

The study also outlined that both parents and teens agreed there was no significant link between parental supervision and how teens engaged with social media.

The stark truth indicates that tools such as built-in parental controls on platforms like Instagram are insufficient to stop users from overusing.