The Short Version
The weight of peer-reviewed evidence — including systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and experimental studies — does support an association between Instagram use and elevated depression and anxiety symptoms. However, the association is typically small, heterogeneous, and strongest among heavy or problematic users and specific subgroups such as adolescents and young women. Some rigorous longitudinal studies find no meaningful average association for typical users, and causation has not been established. The claim is directionally accurate but overstates how uniform the link is across all users.