Spoiler Alert: Facebook Ranks Worst for Mental Health [New Data]
Social media has revolutionized the way we connect, communicate and share experiences. With 4.2 billion active users worldwide spending an average of 2 hours and 25 minutes per day on social platforms, these technologies have become a ubiquitous part of modern life.
However, our collective love affair with social media may be more toxic than we realized. A growing body of research reveals a troubling dark side to all those likes, shares, and retweets. Studies consistently show that heavy social media use is linked to increased rates of depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts.
While concerns apply across all the major platforms, one network stands out as particularly detrimental to mental wellbeing: Facebook. As the largest social media platform in the world, Facebook‘s impact cannot be understated.
Facebook Ranks Worst for Mental Health
A 2020 survey from the advocacy group Accountable Tech found that 43% of respondents felt Facebook had a "very negative" impact on their mental health – significantly worse than any other platform.
Other key findings include:
- Only 17% said Facebook had a "somewhat" or "very" positive impact on their mental health
- 64% reported feeling "dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" after using Facebook
- 53% said the platform made them feel "lonely" and "isolated"
These sentiments were echoed in the 2019 Happiness Report from Moment, which ranked major social platforms based on how they made users feel:
| Platform | Average Happiness Score (out of 100) |
|---|---|
| YouTube | 71.7 |
| 61.9 | |
| 58.9 | |
| Snapchat | 58.6 |
| 56.9 |
Not only did Facebook rank lower than any other platform for user happiness, its average score was nearly 30% worse than top-performer YouTube.
Why Does Facebook Make Us So Miserable?
Several factors contribute to Facebook‘s poor showing when it comes to user wellbeing and mental health:
1. Quantity Over Quality Connections
Facebook encourages broad, superficial networks rather than deep, meaningful relationships. A 2018 study in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology linked larger Facebook networks with higher levels of stress and lower self-esteem.
The average Facebook user has 338 "friends", far more than on other platforms like Instagram (150) or Snapchat (54). But research shows we can only cognitively maintain about 150 real relationships at a time. Sifting through updates and engaging with this many people on a daily basis is mentally taxing.
As Robin Dunbar, professor of evolutionary psychology at Oxford, explains: "The more people you have in your network, the more social effort you have to invest to maintain your place in the social pecking order. That‘s why people with large numbers of friends on Facebook tend to have higher levels of stress."
2. Highlight Reel vs. Reality
Facebook newsfeeds are inundated with meticulously curated images depicting other people‘s picture-perfect lives, vacations, relationships and accomplishments. This "highlight reel" effect can stir up negative feelings of envy, resentment and FOMO (fear of missing out).
62% of people report feeling inadequate and 60% feel jealous when comparing themselves to others on social media. Seeing everyone else‘s best moments while grappling with our own real-life challenges leads many to conclude: "Other people are happier and more successful than I am."
As the popular saying goes, "Don‘t compare your behind-the-scenes to someone else‘s highlight reel." But that‘s hard to remember when bombarded with photos of smiling faces, enviable experiences and impressive achievements all day long.
3. Toxic Interactions
Facebook comment threads are notorious breeding grounds for arguments, insults and abuse. A study by Pew Research found that 64% of Americans have encountered hate speech and 41% have personally experienced harassment on social media.
Political discussions are especially vitriolic. 59% say talking about politics on social media is "stressful and frustrating." Compared to other platforms like Twitter that people use more for news/information, many go to Facebook hoping for lighthearted connection with friends and family. But they often find hostility and division instead.
Constantly witnessing bitter feuds and reading hateful comments is emotionally draining and demoralizing over time. It makes logging on feel like entering a combative online colosseum every day.
4. Information Overload
Between ads, updates, links, and videos, Facebook bombards users with massive amounts of information that can overwhelm our brains. A study from the University of Copenhagen coined the term "Facebook fatigue" to describe the mental exhaustion caused by excess time scrolling on the site.
Our attentional resources are limited. The never-ending stream of content disrupts focus and scatters our thoughts in a million directions. This interferes with real-world responsibilities and relationships, leaving people stressed and unproductive.
Dr. Theresa Stern of the Copenhagen study explains: "When you spend more time on Facebook, your real social life dwindles. That has a negative impact on your well-being because you might feel guilty about neglecting your in-person relationships."
User Behavior on Facebook
The ways people engage on Facebook may also contribute to negative psychological impacts:
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Passive Scrolling: Only 9% of Facebook activities involve actively communicating with others. Most time is spent passively consuming content, which has been linked to lower moods and life satisfaction.
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Impression Management: Many users feel pressure to post content that makes them look good and gets validation in the form of likes/comments. 43% say they feel "pressured" to post positive and attractive content about themselves.
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Doomscrolling: In today‘s 24/7 news cycle, many find it hard to stop scrolling through distressing posts about current events, even though the content makes them feel awful. 74% of Facebook users say it‘s wearing to be exposed to so much negativity.
Marketing Challenges & Opportunities
For businesses and online marketers, Facebook‘s reckoning with user wellbeing is a double-edged sword. On one hand, growing disillusionment with the platform means engagement and reach may continue to decline. If people feel Facebook is toxic to their mental health, they‘ll likely spend less time there.
However, there are opportunities for brands who understand these dynamics and focus on providing genuine value to audiences:
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Curate Quality Content: In a sea of clickbait and rage-bait, businesses can stand out by sharing truly useful, entertaining, and inspiring content. Focus on posts that educate, enrich lives, or spread positivity.
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Humanize Your Brand: Users crave authentic human connection on social media. Showcase the real people behind your brand and build community through empathetic, personalized interactions with customers.
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Champion Mental Health: Take a stand against toxicity and let followers know you care about their wellbeing. Share uplifting content and resources for mental health support. Tactfully speak out against hate speech, bullying, and fake news.
The key is to be intentional about your presence on Facebook and use the platform in service of your audience. Provide them with valuable content and positive interactions to build goodwill and long-term loyalty.
Creating a Healthier Facebook Feed
For individual users, curating a more uplifting Facebook experience can go a long way in combating the platform‘s negative mental health impacts. Some tips:
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Prioritize friends and family: Focus on interacting with your closest connections who bring you joy and support. Unfollow distant acquaintances or people who spark envy and self-doubt.
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Be selective about pages you follow: Like and subscribe to accounts that consistently deliver content you find educational, inspiring, or entertaining. Hide posts from pages that are divisive and toxic.
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Participate in positive groups: Join communities centered around your hobbies, interests, and values. Engage in friendly discussions and support others. Leave groups filled with antagonism and complaints.
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Limit your time: Set boundaries by keeping Facebook usage to short sessions once or twice a day. Turn off push notifications so you‘re not constantly bombarded and tempted to check in.
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Be intentional with interactions: When commenting and posting, focus on spreading positivity. Compliment and encourage others. Avoid falling into pointless arguments. Remember every interaction either adds to or detracts from the collective energy.
The Future of Facebook
As Facebook weathers backlash about privacy, misinformation, and negative impacts on society, the company has taken steps to address concerns. Efforts include:
- Reducing clickbait and spam
- Identifying and removing fake accounts
- Giving users more control over newsfeeds
- Expanding mental health support resources
- Moderating hate speech more aggressively
But many argue they need to do more. Suggestions include:
- Holding top executives accountable
- Submitting to independent audits
- Collaborating with mental health experts
- Implementing friction to slow misinformation
- Incentivizing positive community behaviors
Ultimately, creating a healthier Facebook will require a fundamental shift from any engagement-at-all-costs mindset to a more compassionate, user-centered approach.
The coming years will be pivotal as Facebook grapples with the unintended negative impacts of the digital public square they‘ve created. Balancing profitability with social responsibility is no small task. But for the wellbeing of billions of people around the world, it‘s well worth the effort.
