Instagram Kids, the version of the social network that Facebook hoped to hook children 10-12 years old on, is being put on pause, the company has confirmed
Instagram Kids, the version of the social network that Facebook hoped to hook children 10-12 years old on, is being put on pause, the company has confirmed today. The service, details of which leaked earlier this year, has been increasingly under fire by parents and child privacy advocates, particularly given recent revelations about Facebook’s own research on how damaging social media can be to younger users. Currently, the Instagram app is listed as intended for those aged 13 years or older. Instagram Kids, though, would be for users as young as 10, though with extra parental monitoring features baked in. In recent weeks, however, the discussion has turned to just whether younger users are benefiting from social media. Leaks about Facebook’s own research into teens and the impact of Instagram on their mental health painted an ominous picture of encouraging body image issues and more.
