Public health experts are advising Facebook to abandon plans for a new edition of Instagram aimed at children under the age of thirteen. In a letter sent on Thursday, these organizations claimed that such a proposal would “place young users at great risk,” claiming that Facebook isn’t ready to launch and manage an app with such a strong impact over children.
The new app, which Facebook claims will be free of advertising, is aimed at children under the age of 13, which is the Instagram minimum age. Facebook also says it’s looking for new ways to verify the users on the main Instagram site aren’t under the age of 13, like using artificial intelligence. The Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA), enacted in 1998, imposes more stringent standards and possible financial penalties on online sites that gather personal information about children under the age of 13 without their parents’ permission. Social media, according to child protection researchers, poses additional risks to young children.
The organizations, which include the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and ParentsTogether Action, wrote to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, saying, “Instagram’s emphasis on photo sharing and appearance makes the site especially unsuitable for children who are in the midst of critical stages of forming their sense of self.” “Children and teenagers (particularly young girls) have learned to equate inappropriately sexualized, heavily edited images of themselves with increased platform exposure and peer popularity.”
The public health experts and child advocacy organizations who signed the letter also claim that social media designed for children can infringe on children’s privacy and increase the risk of depression, among other things.
Jenny Radesky, a pediatrics professor at the University of Michigan’s medical school, said in a statement on Thursday, “During the pandemic, I have heard countless stories from parents of elementary-aged children about high-drama and problematic interactions happening over social media that kids weren’t developmentally ready for.” “The last thing kids need is an Instagram account.”
The letter comes as lawmakers scrutinize tech companies’ attempts to develop kid-friendly apps and resources. Members of Congress have expressed concern that these apps have become addictive, that they are harmful to young people’s mental wellbeing and self-esteem, and that they put children’s privacy at risk. Around the same time, tech firms are struggling with the fact that children under the age of 13 are gaining access to their sites despite being legally prohibited. Following a BuzzFeed News story in March that Facebook was in the early stages of developing an under-13 Instagram app, the controversy over kids on social media was reignited.
Facebook has defended its Instagram-for-kids initiative, claiming that it is an attempt to divert younger users away from its main platform. According to Recode, the latest version of Instagram is being developed in collaboration with child development and mental health experts, as well as privacy advocates, and will take several months to complete.
Facebook spokesperson Stephanie Otway said, “We’ve just started testing a version of Instagram for younger teenagers.” “It’s a reality that kids are online. They want to spend time with their families and friends, have fun, and learn, and we want to assist them in doing so in a healthy and age-appropriate manner.”
