Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and his New York counterpart Letitia James have joined a coalition of 44 state attorneys general asking Facebook to drop plans for a new Instagram platform designed for children ages 13 and under.
In a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the coalition stated the proposed Instagram Kids would create a wave of problems. They cited research that found social media”™s harmful effects on child development, the threats of cyberbullying in a child-focused environment, and threats from predators seeking young targets.
“Facebook has failed to protect its adult users from disinformation, abuse and privacy breaches, so how can it be expected to protect vulnerable and impressionable children from these dangers?” Tong asked.
“The science has shown us that social media usage among children is linked to increased mental health issues and self-harm behavior. Facebook should strongly reconsider the launch of this product for the health and safety of our children.”
“Without a doubt, this is a dangerous idea that risks the safety of our children and puts them directly in harm”™s way,” said James, adding there were “too many concerns to let Facebook move forward with this ill-conceived idea, which is why we are calling on the company to abandon its launch of Instagram Kids. We must continue to ensure the health and wellness of our next generation and beyond.”
