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Instagram is taking a hiatus from its Instagram Kids platform, aimed at children under 13, so it can address accessibility and content concerns. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, wrote in a blog post this morning that it will give the company time to “work with parents, experts, policymakers and regulators, to listen to their concerns and to demonstrate the value and importance of this project. for young teens online today. (AP Photo / Jenny Kane, file)
Facebook is suspending development of a children’s version of Instagram, aimed at children under 13, to address concerns raised about the vulnerability of younger users.
“I still strongly believe it’s a good thing to create a version of Instagram designed to be safe for tweens, but we want to take the time to talk to parents, researchers and security experts and achieve a plus. great consensus on how to move forward., “ Instagram boss Adam Mosseri said in an interview this morning on NBC “Today” spectacle.
The announcement follows a series of Wall Street Journal surveys that reported that Facebook knew that some teenage girls’ Instagram use leads to mental health issues and anxiety.
Still, Instagram’s development for a younger audience encountered wider opposition almost immediately.
Facebook announced the development of an Instagram Kids app in March, claiming at the time that it was “Explore a parent-controlled experience”. Two months later, a bipartisan group of 44 attorneys general wrote to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, urging him to drop the project, citing the welfare of children.
They cited an increase in cyberbullying, possible vulnerability to online predators and what they called the “Checkered folder” in the protection of children on its platforms. Facebook faced similar criticism in 2017 when it launched the Messenger Kids app, touted as a way for kids to chat with parent-approved family members and friends.
Josh Golin, executive director of children’s digital rights group Fairplay, urged the company this morning to permanently unplug the app.
“We urge Facebook to use this ‘pause’ to truly engage with independent child development experts who understand how Instagram will undermine the well-being of young children,” he said in a prepared statement.
Mosseri argued this morning that the company believes it’s best for children under 13 to have a specific platform for age-appropriate content, and that other companies like TikTok and YouTube have app versions for this age group.
He said in a blog post that it was better to have a version of Instagram where parents can oversee and control their experience rather than relying on the company’s ability to verify whether children are old enough to use the app.
Mosseri said Instagram for Kids is for people aged 10 to 12, not the youngest. It will require parental permission to register, be ad-free, and include age-appropriate content and features. Parents will be able to monitor how much time their kids spend on the app, see who can message them, who can follow them, and who they can follow.
While work is suspended on Instagram Kids, the company will expand opt-in parental supervision tools to teen accounts 13 and older. More details on these tools will be released in the coming months, Mosseri said.
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