The activity started amid reports that Instagram is allowing users as young as 13 to turn their profiles into business accounts, potentially revealing children’s email addresses and phone numbers. Facebook denies the allegations, but ultimately the company could face a massive fine if the regulator proves that Instagram is violating EU privacy laws.

The Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) has initiated an investigation that will, among other things, check whether Facebook has a legal right to process children’s personal data. It will also determine whether Instagram is good enough to protect the personal data of underage users.

“ Instagram is a social network that is widely used by children in Ireland and across Europe. DPC actively monitors complaints received from individuals and identifies potential problems related to the processing of children’s personal data on Instagram, which require further investigation, ”a DPC spokesman commented on the issue.

One of the reasons for the investigation was reports that Instagram is offering millions of underage users the ability to turn personal accounts into business accounts. A company profile involves displaying an email address and phone number for all users. In addition, the contact details could be seen by viewing the HTML code of the Instagram pages. Facebook denies the accusations, citing the fact that users are usually aware that after switching to a business account, contact information is displayed publicly.