Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost joined 43 other state AGs urging Facebook to abandon plans to develop a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13.
The AGs signed a letter addressed to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
"With research rating Instagram as the worst social media platform for youth mental health, it's hard to imagine that this launch is about anything other than expanding the already lucrative Instagram franchise. Introducing children to this social media environment poses serious threats to their security and wellbeing and I urge Facebook to reconsider its plans for this new platform."
The attorneys general say research shows social media can be harmful to the well-being of children. There are also concerns about cyberbullying, and that predators could use the platform to talk to children.
"It appears that Facebook is not responding to a need, but instead creating one, as this platform appeals primarily to children who otherwise do not or would not have an Instagram account," the letter states.
Aside from Nessel, attorneys general from Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming also signed the letter.
