Top lawmakers pressing Facebook to release internal research

Top lawmakers on the Senate Commerce Committee’s consumer protection panel are pressing Facebook to release internal research on the impact of its products on youth mental health as the company presses ahead with plans for a platform geared toward children.

Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) asked Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a letter Wednesday to share any internal research on the topic, as well as commit to send a senior executive to testify before the lawmakers at a hearing on the topic in September.

The letter is the latest effort from lawmakers to pressure Facebook over its impact on kids and teens as the company pushes forward with plans to launch an “Instagram for kids” platform for users under the age of 13.

“As one of the largest platforms for young audiences, Facebook has a profound obligation to ensure its products do not contribute to this crisis,” the senators wrote.