Tuesday, September 28, 2021, 3:33 PM
Facebook Has the development of a Version for children under 13 years old of application InstagramAfter they have been interviewed on a large scale in the midst of concern about the Possible harmful effects of the Mental Health Platform of the very young.
The decision of Pause the project It comes for the newspaper The Wall Street Journal publishes a series of articles in which the results reveal an internal Facebook research It is emphasized that the company is aware of the damage that Instagram can cause to the mental health of adolescents.
The Facebook announcement also comes a few days before an audience in the Senate of the United States was founded in response to the indignation generated by the newspaper articles.
Instagram Chief, Adam MosseriHe said that The projectwho would have created a version of the application for children guided by parents, He was misunderstood. “I still believe it is good to develop an Instagram version that is designed to be safe for Pre -Teens,” said Mosseri in the “Today today” program of the NBC. “We want to take the necessary time to talk to parents and researchers and security experts and to reach a larger consensus about how to continue,” he added.
In a statement, Mosseri said that “it is better that parents have the opportunity to give their children access to an Instagram version designed for them.”
Protection errors
Known as the unofficial name of «Instagram -Hinderen«The initiative unleashed criticism as soon as it met this year.
A group of American senators insisted on Facebook in May to stop the development of that version and pointed to their ‘History of failures in the protection of children on platforms’.
Several American legislators approved the decision to stop the development of this application, although some asked the company to continue.
«A ‘break’ is insufficient. Facebook must leave this project completely«The democratic senator Ed Markey tweeted.
Possible mental damage
After the revelations of the Wall Street Journal on the Possible damage linked to Facebook platformsSenators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blucenthal have announced that an audience will be held on Thursday to treat the protection of children on social networks. “This audience will investigate the toxic effects of Facebook and Instagram on young people and other people, and it is one of the many in which difficult questions will be asked about whether large technology companies will damage people who know and hide it,” Blumenthal wrote in a statement last week.
Facebook has confirmed that Antigone DavisHis global security leader will bear witness to the public.
Defense groups in children
The youth defense groups have also welcomed the news with satisfaction and have criticized the risks for children to use Instagram. “Today’s announcement (…) must give hope to everyone who believes that the good of children should be above the benefits of large technology companies,” says Fairplay, an non -profit organization that focuses on the protection of childhood.
«Six months ago, when the news was leaked that Facebook is one Instagram Children’s versionEveryone assumed that it was an accomplished fact because Facebook usually does what it wants «.
The “Campaign for Unbudired Childhood” attacked Instagram for his “tireless approach of appearance” and claimed that “younger children are less developed to take on those challenges” than adolescents.
Facebook’s answer to WSJ
Facebook responded to the information from the Wall Street Journal Emphasize that describing both the positive and negative experiences of young people with social networks.
But for the former Facebook security leader Alex Stos The problem goes much further. «Fun should probably not have any telephonesBut parents give them telephones (…). Teenagers probably should not be on social networks, but their parents allow it, “he wrote on Twitter.
