Instagram probed by states over efforts to engage young people

Facebook argued that kids are lying about their age to get on Instagram anyway, so a youth-oriented product - with parental controls - would be a safer alternative and provide a legitimate bridge to eligibility for the full site. — AFP

A group of US state attorneys general are investigating Meta Platforms Inc’s Instagram photo-sharing app over its efforts to engage children and young adults, taking aim at the risks the social network may pose to their mental health and well-being.

"Time and again, Mark Zuckerberg and the companies he runs have put profits over safety, but our investigation seeks to end that behaviour,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said Thursday in a statement. "Our coalition will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect children and young adults from the harms Instagram and other social media platforms risk to so many.”