One-Sided and unbalanced? An automated descriptive large-scale analysis of contraceptive information on German Instagram posts

Automated data collection via the Meta Content Library API was used to retrieve publicly available German Instagram posts about contraceptive methods (N = 33,596). The two most frequently mentioned contraceptive methods were identified. The barriers and benefits were identified through a literature review and a keyword-in-context analysis. Afterward, a co-occurrence analysis was conducted to examine how often the identified barriers and benefits are mentioned together in a post with the two contraceptive methods.

Hormonal contraceptive methods, particularly the pill, were mentioned most frequently, followed by natural contraception, particularly the abbreviation of natural family planning 'NFP'. The analyses revealed a striking polarisation: the pill was predominantly framed in terms of barriers, while NFP was predominantly framed in terms of benefits.

Contraceptive information on German Instagram is characterised by a one-sided and unbalanced presentation of contraceptive methods. These findings carry significant public health implications, highlighting the need for balanced, evidence-based health communication on social media.