Social media beauty filters that appear harmless are having serious consequences for Black adolescents' mental health, according to new research published in the JAMA Network. The study reveals that these filters, along with other race-related online experiences, are damaging young people's ability to sleep and concentrate on schoolwork.
The Daily Toll of Online Racism
Researchers found that Black adolescents experience approximately six race-related online incidents daily, with 3.2 involving online racism and 2.8 being positive experiences. The study, led by University of Southern California education professor Brendesha Tynes, analysed survey data from 141 Black adolescents aged 11 to 19 across the United States.
Participants reported encountering algorithmic bias once every three days. Survey questions measured how often filters made them appear more European by lightening their skin or straightening their hair, or whether platforms suppressed their racial justice content.
Mental Health Consequences
The research team discovered that exposure to algorithmic bias directly correlated with increased depressive and anxious symptoms the following day. Professor Tynes told The Guardian: "We expected each of the three types of online racism to be associated with the next day's depressive and anxiety symptoms. But I was still surprised that the algorithmic bias items were associated with mental health."
Young people who experienced more algorithmic bias showed higher anxiety levels regardless of age or gender. The study measured mental health impacts by asking participants about:
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Problems concentrating on schoolwork
- Feelings of being constantly on edge
Call for Regulation and Digital Literacy
With online hate speech increasing and diversity initiatives facing political pressure, the researchers emphasise the urgent need for intervention. Co-author Devin English stated: "Companies will not regulate themselves on this and that's the role of the government to step in. We haven't seen any federal level legislation to protect young people from the harms of social media and the harms of AI."
The consequences extend beyond mental health. Professor Tynes cited the example of Dylann Roof, who accessed white supremacist content through Google's search algorithm before committing the 2015 Charleston church massacre. "Instead of him getting the Justice Department's actual facts on crime," Tynes explained, "he got these biased white supremacist results that fueled his desire to commit a massacre."
Researchers are now developing a platform featuring virtual reality experiences and digital literacy tools to help young people critique and cope with online racism. The initiative, launching next spring through collaboration between USC and University of Maryland, will include modules teaching how racism infiltrates online spaces.
Future research will examine how resilience and positive cultural messages help adolescents navigate online racism, including whether teaching Black history in schools provides protective knowledge and confidence.
