A recent internal Meta research has revealed a concerning trend on Instagram — teens who already feel bad about their bodies are being shown three times more “eating disorder–related” content than others. These posts often highlight body parts like the chest, thighs, or buttocks and include harsh judgments about body types.

The study surveyed over 1,100 teenagers and found that 10.5% of content viewed by vulnerable teens was linked to body image issues, compared to just 3.3% for others. Even more worrying, these teens were also exposed to “mature” and “risky” themes almost twice as often.

While Meta insists that the research proves its effort to make Instagram safer, experts call the findings “disturbing,” saying the app’s algorithm may be profiling psychologically vulnerable teens and feeding them harmful content.

Meta admits that its current filters fail to catch 98.5% of such “sensitive” posts. Critics argue that the platform’s design may be deepening body dissatisfaction and mental health struggles among young users.