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Meta shut down an internal study that linked Facebook use to worse mental health

A hot potato: In 2020, Meta launched an internal research effort called Project Mercury to examine the psychological effects of Facebook use. Working with market research firm Nielsen, the company ran a survey-based experiment that asked selected users to deactivate their Facebook accounts for a week. Newly unsealed discovery documents reveal that those who stepped away reported noticeably lower levels of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and negative social comparison.
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