Instagram suggested ‘groomers’ connect with minors, US FTC says


The Meta Platforms Inc. report noted that minors made up 27% of the follow recommendations that the social media app surfaced to "groomers,” a term the company used to refer to accounts they identified as exhibiting predatory behaviour toward children. — Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash

Instagram’s automated software systems recommended that child "groomers” connect with minors on the app, making it easier for them to find victims, according to a 2019 internal document presented in court by the Federal Trade Commission. 

The Meta Platforms Inc. report noted that minors made up 27% of the follow recommendations that the social media app surfaced to "groomers,” a term the company used to refer to accounts they identified as exhibiting predatory behaviour toward children. Over three months that year, the company found that 2 million accounts held by minors had been recommended to groomers.

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