Irish regulator probes Facebook's handling of children's data on Instagram

Instagram's profile and account settings will be examined to ascertain whether the social media company is adhering to the regulator's data protection requirements. Picture: iStock

Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) has launched two inquiries into Facebook after concerns were raised about the social network giant's handling of children's personal data on Instagram.

The DPC, the main data privacy regulator in the European Union, received complaints from individuals and had identified "potential concerns" in relation to the processing of children's personal data on Instagram, Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle told Reuters in an emailed statement.