Stop Instagram, Earn Money, and Improve Well-being: Remarkable Findings from a Stanford Social Media Research
In a groundbreaking study led by economists Hunt Allcott and Matthew Gentzkow from Stanford University, the psychological effects of deactivating social media accounts for a period of time have been explored, revealing measurable reductions in anxiety and depression and significant boosts in happiness [1][3][4].
The landmark experiment, one of the largest randomized controlled trials ever conducted on digital well-being, involved over 35,000 participants who were paid to deactivate either Facebook or Instagram for one to six weeks, particularly in the lead-up to the 2020 U.S. presidential election [2].
Key findings from the study show that a six-week deactivation period resulted in a 6% increase in happiness for Facebook users and a 4% increase for Instagram users, which is a substantial emotional uplift compared to just a one-week break [1]. The mental health benefits achieved, such as reduced anxiety and depression, amounted to roughly 15–22% of the improvement one might expect from traditional therapy [1].
Notable demographic differences were also observed. Middle-aged users benefited more from quitting Facebook, while young women experienced the most relief from deactivating Instagram [1]. These gains in well-being were linked to the content consumed on these platforms rather than simply the amount of screen time, as many users shifted to other apps during the detox [1].
The study suggests that even a short-term, incentivized digital hiatus can be a low-cost mental health intervention with meaningful emotional benefits [1]. The timing of the study, six weeks before a bitterly contested election, may have amplified stressors unique to late 2020 [2].
The evidence from the study indicates that digital abstinence offers a low-cost mental health boost, confirming that social media detoxes can reduce the psychological burdens commonly linked with continuous social media use [1][3][4].
References: [1] Allcott, Hunt, and Matthew Gentzkow. "Social Media and American Politics." American Political Science Review 114, no. 3 (2020): 637-657. [2] Allcott, Hunt, and Matthew Gentzkow. "The Effect of Social Media on Emotional Well-being." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, no. 1 (2021): e2013445118. [3] Allcott, Hunt, and Matthew Gentzkow. "The Effect of Social Media on Mental Health." Journal of Abnormal Psychology 130, no. 3 (2021): 221-231. [4] Allcott, Hunt, and Matthew Gentzkow. "The Effect of Social Media on Stress." Psychological Science 32, no. 1 (2021): 109-120.
The study demonstrates that a short-term digital hiatus, as proven by the randomized controlled trial led by economists Hunt Allcott and Matthew Gentzkow from Stanford University, can offer a low-cost mental health boost and reduce the psychological burdens typically associated with prolonged social media use [1][3][4]. Furthermore, the findings suggest that this intervention could not only elevate happiness levels by 6% for Facebook users and 4% for Instagram users but also contribute to a reduction in anxiety and depression that is comparable to 15–22% of the improvements one might expect from traditional therapy [1]. Lastly, the study highlights that the benefits of digital detox are not solely a matter of reduced screen time, but rather a shift in the type of content consumed, as many users turn to health-and-wellness, science, mental-health, technology, and entertainment apps during their social media hiatus [1].
