Study suggests computer program that scans Instagram photos could be better than doctors at diagnosing depression

In a study published in EPJ Data Science, researchers analyzed the Instagram images using a computer program to go through 43,950 photos in order to assess the mental health of the person who posted it, arguing a computer might better be able to diagnose someone with depression than a doctor. The results showed that Instagram behaviour could predict which users were suffering from depression, and that evidence of the illness could be seen via the images before it had been diagnosed.