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Why the children’s Instagram project is causing controversy in the United States

Will a “kids” version of Instagram see the light of day? For now, just like Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, Instagram is restricted to users over the age of 13. In fact, it is easy to get around this limitation since it suffices to put a false date of birth when registering. In March, the social network confirmed its plan to create a version of its service reserved for the youngest teenagers, a service that the American site BuzzFeedNews had revealed a few days earlier after viewing an internal message.

This project sparked an uproar among child rights professionals. The controversy resumed this week. Most American states on Monday called on Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg to abandon the project, citing the risks to the mental health of young people.

Many risks highlighted

“Research shows a correlation between the use of social networks and the ‘rise in psychological distress and suicidal behavior among young people'”, argue the attorneys general of 44 states in a letter to the founder of the Californian giant. They cite studies showing the harm caused by constant comparison with peers, such as eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia).

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