to recognize depression through Instagram photos

Scientists at Harvard and the University of Vermont have developed an algorithm that makes it possible to recognize depression in people through their Instagram photos.

For the study, 43 950 photos of 166 people examined by the algorithm. On the basis of metadata of pictures, face detection and color analysis (depressed people have a preference for blues and grays instead of brighter colors) could be concluded correctly in 70 percent said there was depression. In some cases, this diagnosis was not yet been made by doctors.