Facebook remains firm with its plans to create a version of Instagram for children under 13 years of age , despite pressure from some US legislators and international organizations who, concerned about the safety of children online , they ask the social media giant to abandon this idea.
The company led by Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday it is developing a “new Instagram experience for tweens.” According to Facebook, this version will be managed by parents and guardians to “reduce the incentive for people under 13 to lie about their age.”
Facebook also ensures that tweens are already online and understands that there is currently no effective method to prevent them from lying about their age. In this sense, they consider that it is better to create a version of Instagram for them instead of banning it . “We want to create experiences specifically designed for them,” he adds.
The truth is that this idea of Facebook is causing concern in some legislators and organizations. In May, US prosecutors asked the company to abandon its plans. This is because children “are not prepared to handle the variety of challenges that an Instagram account brings.”
Instagram for children … safe and private?
Photo by George Pagan III on Unsplash In the past, the social media giant has said that its version of Instagram for children under 13 will prioritize “ security and privacy “. To do this, he said they will consult with experts in child development, child safety, mental health and privacy advocates.
Furthermore, Facebook is making changes to protect people under 18 but over 13. In this sense, the social network established that the Instagram accounts of those under 16 years of age will be private by default. It also ensures that it will limit the options that advertisers have to reach young people.
The company's plans also include the use of artificial intelligence to detect and delete underage accounts on Instagram. “We plan to apply this technology in our applications to create more age-appropriate experiences and safety measures for young people,” they say.
