LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is trying to stop what he believes could be a new online threat to the commonwealth’s kids.
Cameron has joined 43 other attorneys general in sending a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, asking the company to scrap plans to launch a new Instagram platform aimed at kids under age 13.
“We are trying to do our best in upholding our responsibility to keep some of our most vulnerable populations safe and healthy,” Cameron told WDRB News in an interview Tuesday at his Capitol office.
Cameron said his biggest concerns are cyber-bullying and online predators.
“In 2020, Business Insider reported that there were 20 million sexual child images shared on Facebook and Instagram,” he said. “That's not something we want to exacerbate by allowing for this new platform.”
The concerns about Instagram for Kids are not limited to law enforcement. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, pulled no punches in his assessment of the potential danger to children.
“Facebook should absolutely be ashamed at profiteering at the expense of kids,” Brooks said. “What Facebook is doing is the equivalent of handing an 11-year-old a loaded gun and saying, ‘Now be careful.’”
In a statement, Facebook said:
"We are developing these experiences in consultation with experts in child development, child safety and mental health and privacy advocates."
Cameron said Facebook does not have a good track record. He pointed to Messenger Kids, a previous attempt by Facebook to design a social media platform for youngsters.
“There was a glitch in the programming that allowed — despite parental controls — a stranger, a complete stranger, to be able to talk to a child,” Cameron said.
Cameron said the attorneys general would have a “conversation” about possible legal action if Instagram for Kids is launched.
“Our interest is that they just not move forward with this type of system,” he said.
The Attorney General’s Office posted social media tips for parents on its website.
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