INSTAGRAM’S IMPACT ON CHILDREN PROBED BY US STATES

Sat 20 November 2021:

Officials announced Thursday that Instagram’s parent company, Meta, is being investigated by a group of US states over charges that it provided the photo-sharing platform to children despite knowing of the risk, in fresh trouble for the scandal-hit giant,

After a whistleblower leaked reams of internal documents proving executives were aware of their sites’ potential for harm, Facebook is facing one of its most significant reputational crises yet, triggering a fresh US push for regulation.

“Facebook, now Meta, has failed to protect young people on its platforms and instead chose to ignore or, in some cases, double down on known manipulations that pose a real threat to physical and mental health — exploiting children in the interest of profit,” Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement.

Attorneys general from New York, Colorado, and other states are part of the group, which comprises top law enforcement officers and legal advisers. A complete list has yet to be provided.

The leaked data have been used to support a slew of damning reports, including one accusing Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg of caving in to state censorship and another pointing out how the site has fueled rage in the sake of keeping people engaged.

In a regulatory filing, Facebook stated that “it became subject to government investigations and requests” connected to the material leaked to lawmakers and regulators beginning in September.

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