A group of 40 state attorneys general on Monday urged Facebook FB.O Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg to abandon plans to launch a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13.

"Use of social media can be detrimental to the health and well-being of children, who are not equipped to navigate the challenges of having a social media account," the officials said in a letter that was also signed by the attorneys general of the District of Columbia and three U.S. territories.

"Further, Facebook has historically failed to protect the welfare of children on its platforms." Facebook did not immediately comment.

(Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) ((David.Shepardson@thomsonreuters.com; 2028988324;))