WSJ: Facebook Research Found 1 in 8 Users Display Compulsive Behavior on Platform that Hurts Their Life

According to the latest report from the Wall Street Journal, Facebook researchers found in one survey that one in eight users reported engaging in compulsive use of social media that had a negative impact on their life. Researchers refer to this as “problematic use” of the platform.

The Wall Street Journal reports that according to internal Facebook documents, company researchers found in a study that one in eight Facebook users reported engaging in compulsive use of social media that impacted their work, sleep, parenting, or relationships.

Researchers refer to this as “problematic use” of the platform. Users questioned noted that they found the issue worse on Facebook than any other social media platform such as Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, etc. A Facebook team focused on user well-being and health suggested a number of fixes to the issue including building in national features to encourage breaks from social media and the reduction of platform notifications.

Some of these fixes were implemented, but the user well-being team was shut down by Facebook in 2019. A Facebook spokesperson said that the company has begun formulating new ways to address problematic use of the platform alongside other well-being issues such as body image and mental health in recent months. – READ MORE