The platform, in the focus of which are photographs, threatens users with loneliness, depression and anxiety associated with insecurity in their own body.

According to the survey, Instagram was rated as a social network, the worst affecting the mental health of young people.

Respondents were asked to take into account factors such as access to expert information, emotional support, body image, anxiety, depression, sleep, self-expression, community, and bullying.

Instagram received bad scores on 7 of 14 criteria: his influence on sleep, body image and fear of being an outcast, bullying and feelings of anxiety, depression and loneliness.

It should nevertheless be said that the interviewers also noted positive aspects: the possibility of self-expression, self-identification and emotional support.

In turn, YouTube was negatively evaluated because of its detrimental impact on sleep, but received good marks in nine other categories, including awareness and adoption of other people's experiences, self-expression, loneliness, depression and emotional support.

Shirley Kramer, executive director of the Royal Society of Public Health in England, noted that the interesting fact is that both the worst-rated platforms - Instagram and Snapchat - are targeted specifically at images, and seem to be able to cause feelings of inadequacy and anxiety in young people.

Recently there has been an increase in the amount of evidence that the intensive use of social networks can have potential harm on the mental health of society. It is very important to have deterrent factors and counterbalances that would contribute to improving the well-being of young people.

According to the leading experts of the University of Cambridge, it is sometimes easier for young people to talk about personal problems on the Internet than in real life. Therefore, it is necessary to do everything possible to get acquainted with modern expressions of youth culture, lexicon and terms. This will help to better understand the thoughts and feelings of youth.

However, not all specialists are disposed negatively. For example, Professor Simon Wessely, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: "I am sure that social networks play a role in feelings of sadness, but they have as many advantages as disadvantages. We need to learn to cope with all aspects of social media - both good and bad - in order to better prepare for an increasingly digital world. It is very dangerous to blame the money for the ideas that they carry ".

According to the Instagram website statistics, it has more than 600 million active users every month.

Michel Napchan, the head of the Instagram policy, stated that Instagram's main priority is to keep it as a safe and favorable place where people feel comfortable expressing themselves. Especially when it comes to youth. "Every day people from all over the world use Instagram to share their observations and get public support. We want those who are struggling with mental health problems to have access to Instagram support precisely at the time when they most need it. "Undoubtedly, the Internet has dramatically changed our lives in the last few years. With those things and processes that once took hours, and even days, now you can manage in just a few minutes. Therefore, one can not refute the fact that many applications on our smartphone make our life easier and better.

For example, there are services that give access to millions of free e-books, where you can also share your own opinions about what you read with other users. Others, help to avoid traffic jams and calculate the best routes, which is indispensable in large cities or unfamiliar places. Some applications allow you to participate in world class intellectual sports tournaments or enjoy your favorite movies and series even on the road. The main thing is to know in all measure.