Facebook, Inc (NASDAQ: FB) has been a controversial player over the years, and at times, matters have gotten to court. Some years back, accusations hit it, with claims it had influenced election outcomes. This time around, it is about Instagram. Reports show that Instagram poses a significant danger to teens. Word moving around shows the company knows about the risks but has been concealing the truth.
Instagram poses a danger mostly to teens.
Investigations point to Facebook as the sort of company that sets out on whistle-blowing missions without taking the time to understand matters to the crust. Such a description sounds terrible, but Facebook has been playing dumb all this while.
Investigations indicate about 32% of teenage girls are affected, so that they end up developing a poor image of themselves. The increased suicidal tendencies among American teens have been a matter of concern as well.
Lawmakers come out quite strongly
Many teens have come forward to admit how Instagram increases their rate of depression and anxiety, terming it a somewhat consistent problem among them. In addition, senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) have been quite vocal over Facebook’s lack of transparency. They describe the company as being loosely tethered to the facts, believing it can do better before it embarks on its whistle-blowing whims.
Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) opines, “We are in touch with a Facebook whistleblower and will use every resource at our disposal to investigate what Facebook knew and when they knew it – including seeking further documents and pursuing witness testimony,”
Blackburn and Blumenthal only happen to be a few among the many U.S. lawmakers that felt alarmed by the latest report. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) have sent a letter to Facebook urging it to drop its plan to unveil Instagram for kids. Teens and children continue to be somewhat vulnerable groups online.
