Instagram Kids on hold over safety concerns
Technology is advancing and children are being exposed to the use of social media from a young age.
But this new development has been placed on hold.
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According to a statement from the social media giant, the pause comes as the developers are trying to work with parents, experts, policymakers, and regulators to ensure there are no loopholes.
“This will give us 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 younger teens online today,” reads a statement from the company.
Over the years, there have been concerns raised about the impact of social media on young minds, especially with the high rate of depression and suicide amongst teens.
Instagram says denying kids access to social media is not the solution, so designing it with parental control and in such a way that it can cater to young minds is the way forward.
It also argues that children use the platform but pretend to be older than they are by entering incorrect dates of birth.
“We firmly believe that it’s better for parents to have the option to give their children access to a version of Instagram that is designed for them — where parents can supervise and control their experience — than relying on an app’s ability to verify the age of kids who are too young to have an ID,” a statement from the popular social media platform reads.
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“Critics of ‘Instagram Kids’ will see this as an acknowledgement that the project is a bad idea. That’s not the case. The reality is that kids are already online, and we believe that developing age-appropriate experiences designed specifically for them is far better for parents than where we are today.”
Instagram Kids features:
The platform will be designed in a way that safety for kids is a priority.
- It will require parental permission to join.
- It won’t have ads.
- It will have age-appropriate content and features.
- Parents can supervise the time their children spend on the app and oversee who can message them, who can follow them, and who they can follow.