The New Mexico attorney general, Raúl Torrez, is taking action against social media giant Meta once again, this time focusing on how the company’s paid-subscription services attract predators. Torrez, who previously sued Meta for not protecting children from sexual predators and making false claims about platform safety, announced on Monday that his office would be examining subscriptions on Facebook and Instagram.
Instagram, which does not allow users under 13, permits accounts managed by adults that focus entirely on children. The New York Times recently published an investigation revealing that some of these accounts charge followers up to $19.99 a month for additional photos, chat sessions, and other extras. The Times also found that adult men subscribe to these accounts and participate in forums discussing the girls in sexual terms.
Torrez expressed deep concern over this pattern of conduct, stating that it puts children at risk despite ongoing lawsuits and investigations. He filed a complaint in December accusing Meta of enabling harmful activity between adults and minors on Facebook and Instagram. The allegations were supported by findings from accounts created by Torrez’s office, including one for a fictitious 14-year-old girl who received an offer of $180,000 to appear in a pornographic video.
Despite Instagram’s rules prohibiting users under 18 from offering subscriptions, the mom-run accounts have found ways to bypass this restriction. Torrez’s latest request for documentation from Meta was prompted by the alarming findings from The New York Times report.
Meta introduced subscriptions on Instagram in 2022 as part of the company’s efforts to compete in the creator economy. While Instagram does not take a cut from subscription revenues, it benefits from attracting popular users to the platform. However, concerns have been raised by Meta staff members about the potential for exploitation through the subscription service.
In response to Torrez’s actions, a Meta spokesman reiterated the company’s commitment to child safety and combating online predators. Despite the ongoing legal challenges, Meta continues to emphasize its use of technology, hiring child safety experts, and collaboration with law enforcement to address these issues.
The scrutiny on Meta’s paid-subscription services highlights the ongoing challenges faced by social media companies in protecting children and vulnerable users from exploitation. As the investigation unfolds, the implications for online safety and regulation in the digital age remain at the forefront of public discourse.
