A group of US states is investigating how Instagram targets children, despite it posing potential risks to them.
The group – made up of both Democrat and Republican states – is investigating Instagram and Facebook’s parent company Meta to determine if consumer protection laws were broken.
It comes after the company whistleblower testified in the US that the company knew its products can harm children.
A Meta spokesperson on Thursday denied that their platforms are unhealthy.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, a Democrat who first announced the inquiry, tweeted: “Facebook, or Meta, has known Instagram is linked to depression, eating disorders & suicide among young people.”
“We will identify if any laws were broken and end the abuse for good.”
Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, a Republican, said that the companies “treat our children as mere commodities to manipulate for longer screen time engagement and data extraction”.
“These social media platforms are extremely dangerous and have been proven to cause both physical and mental harm in young people,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Owners of Instagram and WhatsApp, Facebook changed its name to Meta last month following a series of scandals.
A Meta spokesperson pushed back against the consortium’s allegations.
“These accusations are false and demonstrate a deep misunderstanding of the facts,” a spokesman said in a statement.
“While challenges in protecting young people online impact the entire industry, we’ve led the industry in combating bullying and supporting people struggling with suicidal thoughts, self-injury, and eating disorders,” he added.
