ABSTRACT
By blurring sensitive images and providing a warning, Instagram's sensitive-content screens seek to assist users-particularly vulnerable users-in making informed decisions about what content to approach or avoid. Yet, prior research found most people (â¼85%) chose to uncover a single screened negative image (Bridgland, Bellet, et al., 2022). Here, we extended on and addressed shortcomings of this previous research. Across two studies, we presented participants with a series of sensitive-content screens covering negative content that appeared among neutral and positive images; participants could choose to uncover screens (or not). We found most participants opted to uncover the first screen they came across, and many continued to uncover screens over a series of images. We also found no evidence suggesting vulnerable people (e.g., people with higher rates of depression) are more likely to avoid sensitive content: people similarly uncovered sensitive-content screens irrespective of their vulnerabilities. Thus, sensitive-content screens may be ineffective in deterring people from exposing themselves to sensitive content. Additionally, avoidance behavior, information seeking behavior, negative affect driven behavior, and positive affect driven behavior appeared to underpin participants' decisions to uncover screened content.
ABSTRACT
Online platforms like Instagram cover potentially distressing imagery with a sensitive-content screen (blurred imagery plus a content warning). Previous research suggests people typically choose to "uncover" and view screened content. In three studies, we investigated whether the presence of screens mitigates the negative emotional impact of viewing content. In Study 1, participants viewed positive and neutral images, and screens (with an option to view the negative images beneath) for a 5-minute period. In Study 2, half the participants saw a grey mask in place of the typical sensitive-content screen. In addition, each image appeared for a fixed period (5 s) and participants had no option to uncover it. Study 3 was like Study 2 except half the participants saw negative images preceded by a sensitive-content screen and half saw negative images without screens. Overall, participants reported a significant increase in state anxiety and negative affect from pre-to post task when they were exposed to sensitive-content screens, whether or not they were also exposed to the negative imagery beneath. Our data suggest sensitive-content screens cause negative responses - state anxiety and negative affect - that do not translate to an emotional benefit when people view negative content.
