Instagram’s plans to introduce what it called an “Instagram experience” for children under 13 have been paused.
Facebook would use the time to listen to “parents, experts, policymakers and regulators”, Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote in a blog post.
According to Mosseri, children have access to phones at very young ages and “misrepresent” their ages, allowing them to download apps that are targeted towards those who are 13 or older.
Instagram requires users to be at least 13 before they create an account, but many children under that age use the platform anyway.
As such, it is better for them to have a version of Instagram that is designed for them, with parental controls for proper supervision, said Mosserri.
In April, a letter from the Campaign for a Commercial-free Childhood, signed by 99 groups and individuals, claimed the “image-obsessed” platform was dangerous for children’s health and privacy and called for the project to be scrapped.
In a recent blog, Facebook head of research Pratiti Raychoudhury said the allegation that Instagram was toxic for teen girls was “simply not accurate”.
“While we stand by the need to develop this experience, we’ve decided to pause this project,” said Mosserri.
“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,” he added.
