Development suspended: Facebook stops Instagram version for children

Status: 27.09.2021 7:12 p.m.

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Facebook has suspended the development of a children’s version of its Instagram photo app. This gives time to cooperate with parents and regulators, for example, and to listen to their concerns. There had previously been massive criticism of the plan.

After criticism, Instagram is suspending the development of a version for children between the ages of ten and twelve. Although he continues to believe that it would be right to offer a special variant of the photo service for them, Instagram boss Adam Mosseri wrote in a blog post. First there should be more detailed consultations with experts, parents and politicians. “Instagram Kids” was never intended for children younger than ten, wrote Mosseri.

Currently, children from the age of 13 can officially register on Instagram. In fact, younger children often set up an account and give the wrong date of birth. Facebook wants to tackle the problem with a customized version for them without advertising and with more control by parents. “The reality is that the kids are already online,” the company said in a statement.

“A parent-controlled experience”

Mosseri stated that Instagram believes that it is better for children under the age of 13 to have a dedicated platform for age-appropriate content. Other companies like TikTok and YouTube also have versions for this age group on offer. “We firmly believe that it is better for parents to have the opportunity to give their children access to a version of Instagram that is suitable for them,” wrote the Instagram boss. So you don’t have to rely on the company’s ability to check if the kids are old enough to use the app.

Instagram mother Facebook announced the development of the app for children in March and stated at the time that it would aim for “a parent-controlled experience”. Two months later, a bipartisan group of 44 attorneys general wrote to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg asking him to abandon the project, citing the best interests of the child. Child protection organizations also faced headwinds.

Revelations in the “Facebook Files”

In the past few weeks, Facebook had come under increasing pressure after a series of investigative articles in the “Wall Street Journal”. It also said, citing internal Facebook documents, that the online network had found itself that the use of Instagram had had a negative impact on the mental health of numerous teenagers, especially girls. Facebook denies the representation.

In recent months, attorneys general from several US states and influential politicians have also called for Facebook to stop developing the version for younger children. Antigone Davis, the manager responsible for user safety at Facebook, is supposed to answer questions from US senators. Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, an organizer of the hearing, described the freeze as a step in the right direction. At the same time, she reiterated her criticism that large tech companies put profits above the well-being of young users.

At the same time, Instagram and other platforms that rely on the self-portrayal of users are repeatedly criticized because they do not adequately protect minors from the disadvantages – for example from cyberbullying. Challenges, in which the users sometimes film themselves trying to test their courage without supervision, are also a problem.