Meta and Center for Open Science Open Request for Proposals for Research on Social Media and Youth Well-being Using Instagram Data

Menlo Park, CA and Charlottesville, VA - Today, Meta and the Center for Open Science (COS) opened a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new pilot program, designed to support the study of topics related to social media use and well-being.

This pilot program addresses calls for more research on the impact of social media on well-being, including from the National Academies of Sciences Study Consensus Report on Social Media and Adolescent Health. This program will provide privacy-preserving access to data from Instagram users in a new model for industry-academic collaboration.

“Parents, policymakers, academics and technology companies are grappling with how best to support young people as they navigate online spaces, but we need more data to understand the full picture,” said Curtiss Cobb, Vice President of Research at Meta. “We hope the results researchers produce will lead to a clearer understanding of the many factors impacting teens today, so that society can come together to find productive solutions.” 

This program presents a model for industry-academia partnerships on this important issue, using a process popularized in the open science movement, called a Registered Report, which requires preregistration of hypotheses and early peer review of research designs.

Proposed studies must fit into one or more of the following research areas to be considered for the pilot:

• Strength Comparisons. Studies investigating or comparing differences in potential positive and negative associations of Instagram use with other potential correlates of the social or emotional health of teens.
• National or Regional Comparisons. Studies investigating or comparing differences across countries or regions of the world in potential positive or negative associations of Instagram and other social media use with the social or emotional health of teens and young adults.
• Social, Cultural, and Contextual Understanding. Studies comparing differences across other large population groups in potential positive or negative associations of Instagram and other social media use with the social or emotional health of teens or young adults.
• Explanations for Observed Associations. Studies investigating why statistical relationships between Instagram and social or emotional health of teens or young adults might be observed.

The RFP invites academic researchers to submit proposals that investigate the relationships between social media use and different aspects of social and emotional health, primarily among teens and young adults. Proposals will follow the Registered Reports publishing model, which involves peer review of research questions and methodologies prior to data collection. This approach promotes transparency, reduces publication bias, and enhances the credibility of research findings.

"This collaboration with Meta represents a significant step forward in fostering transparency and rigor in research,” said Tim Errington, Senior Director of Research at COS. “By using the Registered Reports publishing model, we are setting new standards for how industry and academia can work together to produce credible, reproducible findings. We believe this pilot program will pave the way for more responsible and impactful research on the important topic of social media and well-being.”

The pre-proposal submission portal will open after the release of a data User Guide providing details of what data will be available from Instagram in August. In addition to the Instagram data provided by Meta, researchers will collect their own study data on social and emotional health outcomes. Proposals will be evaluated based on their alignment with the research design and topics outlined in the RFP. An Editorial Board of academic experts managed by COS will evaluate the content of the submissions. Meta will be blind to who submitted proposals and the content of their proposals.

Meta and COS are dedicated to safeguarding user privacy while promoting transparency in research. All data sharing and analysis will be conducted under stringent privacy measures. Otherwise, to the extent possible, all aspects of the research process, including proposals, scientific reviews, analyses, and final reports, will be made publicly accessible. 

To learn more about the pilot program, visit cos.io/meta.

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About Meta
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.

Meta Contact: Liza Crenshaw
lizacrenshaw@meta.com or (650) 334-5823

About the Center for Open Science
Founded in 2013, COS is a nonprofit culture change organization with a mission to increase openness, integrity, and reproducibility of scientific research. COS pursues this mission by building communities around open science practices, supporting metascience research, and developing and maintaining free, open source software tools, including the Open Science Framework (OSF). Learn more at cos.io.

COS Contact: Amanda Staller
amanda.staller@cos.io or (570) 449-8411