Current:Home > MarketsInstagram Is Pausing Its Plan To Develop A Platform For Kids After Criticism-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Instagram Is Pausing Its Plan To Develop A Platform For Kids After Criticism
View Date:2024-12-24 02:46:24
Facebook is putting a hold on the development of a kids' version of Instagram, geared toward children under 13, to address concerns that have been raised about the vulnerability of younger users.
"I still firmly believe that it's a good thing to build a version of Instagram that's designed to be safe for tweens, but we want to take the time to talk to parents and researchers and safety experts and get to more consensus about how to move forward," said Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, in an interview Monday on NBC's "Today" show.
The announcement follows a investigative series by The Wall Street Journal which reported that Facebook was aware that the use of Instagram by some teenage girls led to mental health issues and anxiety.
Yet the development of Instagram for a younger audience was met with broader opposition almost immediately.
Facebook announced the development of an Instagram Kids app in March, saying at the time that it was "exploring a parent-controlled experience." Two months later, a bipartisan group of 44 attorneys general wrote to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, urging him to abandon the project, citing the well being of children.
They cited increased cyberbullying, possible vulnerability to online predators, and what they called Facebook's "checkered record" in protecting children on its platforms. Facebook faced similar criticism in 2017 when it launched the Messenger Kids app, touted as a way for children to chat with family members and friends approved by parents.
Josh Golin, executive director of children's digital advocacy group Fairplay, urged the company Monday to permanently pull the plug on the app.
"We urge Facebook to use this 'pause' to actually engage with the independent child development experts who understand how Instagram will undermine young children's wellbeing," he said in a prepared statement.
Mosseri maintained Monday that the company believes it's better 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 that age group.
He said in a blog post that it's better to have a version of Instagram where parents can supervise and control their experience rather than relying on the company's ability to verify if kids are old enough to use the app.
Mosseri said that Instagram for kids is meant for those between the ages of 10 and 12, not younger. It will require parental permission to join, be ad free, and will include age-appropriate content and features. Parents will be able to supervise the time their children spend on the app, oversee who can message them, who can follow them and who they can follow.
While work is being paused on Instagram Kids, the company will be expanding opt-in parental supervision tools to teen accounts of those 13 and older. More details on these tools will be disclosed in the coming months, Mosseri said.
veryGood! (6)
Related
- Wildfires burn on both coasts. Is climate change to blame?
- Dogs and cats relocated around the US amid Hurricane Helene: Here's where you can adopt
- Are colon cleanses necessary? Experts weigh in on potential risks.
- Teen who cut off tanker on Illinois highway resulting in crash, chemical spill: 'My bad'
- New York races to revive Manhattan tolls intended to fight traffic before Trump can block them
- From prepped to panicked: How different generations feel about retirement
- 'Time is running out': Florida braces for monster Hurricane Milton. Live updates
- Defendant pleads no contest in shooting of Native activist at protest of Spanish conquistador statue
- Dick Van Dyke says he 'fortunately' won't be around for Trump's second presidency
- Prosecutor says Omaha officer was justified in fatally shooting fleeing man
Ranking
- Biden funded new factories and infrastructure projects, but Trump might get to cut the ribbons
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Assorted Danish
- 6-year-old dies after stepfather allegedly beat him with baseball bat
- 6-year-old dies after stepfather allegedly beat him with baseball bat
- Panel advises Illinois commemorate its role in helping slaves escape the South
- En Honduras, los Libertarios y las Demandas Judiciales Podrían Quebrar el País
- Education Pioneer Wealth Society: Transforming Wealth Growth through AI-Enhanced Financial Education and Global Insights
- Opinion: Punchless Yankees lose to Royals — specter of early playoff exit rears its head
Recommendation
-
Fantasy football buy low, sell high: 10 trade targets for Week 11
-
States sue TikTok, claiming its platform is addictive and harms the mental health of children
-
Pregnant Gypsy Rose Blanchard Shares Glimpse at Baby’s “Adorable Morning Kicks”
-
Judge gives preliminary approval for NCAA settlement allowing revenue-sharing with athletes
-
Some women are stockpiling Plan B and abortion pills. Here's what experts have to say.
-
College football bowl projections get overhaul after upsetting Week 6 reshapes CFP bracket
-
These police officers had red flags in their past, then used force in a case that ended in death
-
A former aide to New York Mayor Eric Adams is charged with destroying evidence as top deputy quits