Attorneys general for 44 states and jurisdictions are asking Facebook to cease plans of creating an Instagram aimed at children, citing potential mental health effects and safety concerns of such an early exposure to social media. 

On Monday, the National Association of Attorneys General published a letter addressed to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg that referenced research about how the use of social media, especially Instagram, has a negative impact on emotions and can lead to body image issues and suicidal thoughts. Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012, and currently only allows users who are over 13 years old (though that rule can be easily bypassed). 

The letter calls attention to privacy and security issues that may affect children on the platform, including predatory behavior and cyberbullying. The officials also cited concerns over Facebook’s history of failing to protect children on its platform and noted Facebook and Instagram reported at least 20 million child sexual abuse images in 2020. 

A bipartisan coalition of 44 AGs urge Facebook to abandon plans to launch a version of Instagram for kids under 13. In their letter, the AGs cite concerns about the harm social media poses to children. @MassAGO @AGDougPeterson @TNattygen @VTAttorneyGenhttps://t.co/0xWjqxqVI4 pic.twitter.com/DlP5VN8Oz0

— NAAG (@NatlAssnAttysGn) May 10, 2021

Plans for the development of an “Instagram for kids” were first reported in March, when BuzzFeed News obtained internal Facebook documents that suggested a new platform for children under 13 could be in the works. In April, an international coalition of 35 nonprofit groups also published a letter asking the company to halt such plans. 

“It appears that Facebook is not responding to a need, but instead creating one,” reads the NAAG letter, “as this platform appeals primarily to children who otherwise do not or would not have an Instagram account.” 

In a statement to the New York Times, Facebook spokesperson Stephanie Otway said that the company would not display ads in any Instagram product for children younger than 13 and that it planned to work with experts on children’s health and safety on the development of the product. 

“The reality is that kids are online,” she said in the statement. “They want to connect with their family and friends, have fun and learn, and we want to help them do that in a way that is safe and age-appropriate.”