You are not imagining it

What the research shows

Meta’s own internal research, leaked in 2021 by the whistleblower Frances Haugen, included a slide saying “We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls.” In another leaked study, 13.5% of UK teenage girls said Instagram made suicidal thoughts worse. The full evidence, with the status of each item, is set out on the case page and the Instagram claim page.

These are Meta’s own researchers’ words in Meta’s own documents, not the findings of critics or campaigners. They are published evidence, not findings by a court, and Meta disputes how some of it has been used.

Court proceedings in the United States have heard that Meta consulted a panel of 18 experts, who advised that beauty filters could harm teenage girls, and that Meta later lifted a temporary ban on them. Meta disputes how these documents are characterised. Zuckerberg told a Los Angeles jury in 2026 that a ban felt “overbearing” and “paternalistic”. A Meta study called Project MYST, run with the University of Chicago, concluded that parental and household factors had little association with teens’ reported levels of attentiveness. It was not published.

What you can do right now

Talk to your child

Ask about their experience. Not “are you addicted to your phone” but “how does Instagram make you feel?” Children and teenagers are more likely to open up when the question is specific and non-judgmental.

Request their platform data

Under UK GDPR, your child has the right to see the personal data a platform holds about them, and a parent can usually make the request for a younger child, or for an older child who has asked them to. This includes their usage patterns, the content served to them by the algorithm, and the time they spent on the platform. Our free GDPR tools can generate the request letter for you.

See your GP

If your child is experiencing anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, body image issues, or self-harm, speak to your GP. A professional record of these concerns can help with a legal claim, and more importantly it helps your child get support.

Register your claim

The registration takes 2 minutes. It is free and confidential. You can submit on behalf of your child. The form assesses eligibility based on which platforms were used, the age they started, and how social media has affected their wellbeing. See how the process works before you start, or go straight to the assessment. Common questions on eligibility, cost and court are answered in the FAQ. Older children and young adults can read the guidance for young people and register in their own name if they are 18 or over.