A Wall Street Journal Article Pushes Instagram To Disable ‘Instagram Kids’
An article by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has been the catalyst for Instagram to pause ‘Instagram Kids’ – the recently created child-friendly version of the site.
The article in question, titled ‘Facebook Files’, exposed concerns and revelations about the photo-sharing app’s impact on teen mental health. The Wall Street Journal – the mastermind behind it – commissioned research from the app, revealing its adverse effect on young girls’ mental health, notably surrounding body image and self-esteem.
In the video and Tweets below, the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, shared his views on the matter, saying he believes building ‘Instagram Kids’ is the “right thing to do” but needs “more time with parents and experts working out how to get this right.”
We’re pausing “Instagram Kids.” This was a tough decision. I still think building this experience is the right thing to do, but we want to take more time to speak with parents and experts working out how to get this right. pic.twitter.com/gMbPjft0CW
— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) September 27, 2021
Us pausing doesn’t change the status quo. U13s are getting phones, misrepresenting their age, and downloading 13+ apps. YouTube and TikTok saw this happening and made u13 products, we were doing the same.
— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) September 27, 2021
The ‘Instagram Kids’ concept was first announced earlier this year, the purpose being to give parents the power to oversee and manage their children’s movements online. Mosseri explained how it was not aimed at children, but preteens (10-13).
The company believed the idea was a positive move, working towards creating a safer, more age-appropriate online experience for these young users. Facebook stated:
“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.”
Is ‘Instagram Kids’ the “better” option? The Wall Street Journal have argued otherwise, along with a mass of officials and experts, came together to pen an open letter of concern to Facebook, asking them to rethink the idea. Will Instagram be able to improve ‘Instagram Kids’, so that it can continue, or is the controversy surrounding it too great?
Finally, for our previous #SocialShort, click here.
