The whistleblower affair surrounding Facebook has further consequences: A group of US states has now started investigations against the Internet giant, which has recently been renamed Meta.

These studies revolve around the possible dangers of Meta's social network Instagram for children and adolescents.

The state attorneys general are now investigating whether the company has violated consumer protection laws by marketing Instagram to these young audiences.

It was suspected that he was aware that the use of the platform could cause damage to mental and physical health.

Roland Lindner

Business correspondent in New York.

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In the series of revelations initiated by the whistleblower Frances Haugen over the past few months, reports about the possible dangers of Instagram for young people caused a particularly great excitement. Haugen is a former Facebook employee and has unearthed thousands of documents containing internal research. In their opinion, they demonstrate that the group is well aware of the risks of its platforms - but it is doing little against it.

The documents mentioned study results, among other things, according to which around a third of teenage girls who are dissatisfied with their own bodies feel that this feeling is all the stronger after using Instagram.

"We're making body image problems worse for one in three teenagers," said an internal presentation.

Haugen said at a television appearance that Instagram brings young women into a vicious circle: Although using the platform depresses them, it only makes them use Instagram more often.

That makes her hate her own body all the more.

Prosecutors General of both parties behind the investigation

Facebook has rejected these conclusions. The studies by no means showed that Instagram was "toxic" for this group of girls, the company announced. Rather, more teenagers said they felt better after using Instagram. Amid the criticism, however, Facebook has announced that it will suspend a planned version of Instagram for children for the time being. At the moment, the official minimum age for the platform is 13 years. But the service also has many younger users.

State investigations are conducted by attorneys general belonging to both major American parties, Democrats and Republicans.

According to a press release, they revolve around "techniques" that the company uses to increase the frequency and duration of Instagram usage among this target group, as well as the associated dangers.

Facebook did not protect young people on the platform, said Maura Healey, attorney general for the state of Massachusetts.

She plays a leading role in the coalition.

Her colleague Doug Peterson said that if children were treated as "raw materials" by online platforms in order to keep them on the screen longer, prosecutors would have to intervene.

Facebook said of the investigation, "These allegations are false and show a deep misunderstanding of the facts." The company built functions into its services that would help people with a negative body image.

It is also a leader in the industry when it comes to combating bullying.

The state investigations are increasing the pressure Facebook is currently putting on from politicians and regulators, both in the US and elsewhere in the world.

The American competition authority FTC, for example, filed an antitrust lawsuit against the company just under a year ago.