Washington
(September 15, 2021) – Following
reports
Facebook has conducted and reviewed research showing a connection between
Instagram and mental health problems among young users, Senator Edward J.
Markey (D-Mass.) and Representatives Kathy Castor (FL-14) and Lori Trahan
(MA-03) wrote to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg today, demanding answers and
calling for the company to abandon its plans to develop an Instagram for Kids
platform. The recently revealed internal Facebook research includes data on the
connections between Instagram use and body image problems, suicidal thoughts,
and other mental health challenges among teens on the platform.
“Children
and teens are uniquely vulnerable populations online, and these findings paint
a clear and devastating picture of Instagram as an app that poses significant threats
to young people’s wellbeing. As the internet—and social media
specifically—becomes increasingly engrained in children and teens’ lives, we
are deeply concerned that your company continues to fail in its obligation to
protect young users and has yet to commit to halt its plans to launch new
platforms targeting children and teens,” said
the lawmakers in their letter to Zuckerberg. “The recently uncovered
evidence published in the Wall Street Journal underscores Facebook’s
responsibility to fundamentally change its approach to engaging with children
and teens online. That starts with Facebook abandoning its plans to launch a
new version of Instagram for kids.”
A
copy of the letter can be found
HERE.
In
April, Senators Markey and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Representatives
Castor and Trahan
wrote to
Zuckerberg regarding Facebook’s announcement that the company is “exploring”
plans to develop a version of Instagram for children and expressed concerns
about Facebook’s past failures to protect children on Facebook’s Messenger Kids
app. In May, after the company failed to make meaningful commitments to protect
kids online, the lawmakers released a
statement
calling on Facebook to abandon its plans for the children’s platform.
Previously, Senator Markey has repeatedly
pressed
Facebook on its failures to protect children and teens, including during Mark
Zuckerberg’s 2018 appearance before the Senate Commerce, Science, and
Transportation Committee.