New Jersey coleads multistate investigation into Instagram’s potential harms to minors

TRENTON, NJ — Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck announced Nov. 18 that New Jersey is coleading a nationwide investigation into whether the social media platform Instagram is violating state consumer protection laws and putting children, teenagers and young adults at risk by inducing them to use the platform in ways that are potentially harmful to them.

Among other things, the investigation is centered on techniques employed by Instagram’s parent company, Meta Platforms Inc., formerly known as Facebook, to increase both the frequency and duration of engagement by young users, and on the potential harms that may result from such extended engagement. 

New Jersey and other states noted in a letter to the company earlier this year, in which the states urged Meta to scrap plans for an under-age-13 version of Instagram, that emerging research suggests a nexus between increased time spent online by young persons — particularly on social media platforms — and such ill effects as depression, anxiety, isolation, body image issues, cyberbullying, eating disorders and sleeplessness, among others.

“Parents are anxious about the effects of social media on their children’s well-being and understandably so,” Bruck said. “We must ensure that social media platforms are not violating our laws or exposing our youth to mental and physical harms. And if we learn that companies like Meta knew that their products were harmful and tried to get kids hooked on them anyway, or otherwise violated our laws, we will take strong and aggressive action. That’s why a nationwide coalition is investigating, and that’s why I am proud New Jersey is taking a leadership role.”

This Instagram investigation involves a broad group of states across the country. In addition to Bruck, the bipartisan coalition of attorneys general leading the investigation includes attorneys general from Nebraska, Massachusetts, California, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee and Vermont.

  Andrew J. Bruck, U.S. Attorney’s Office