Why does Facebook want to launch a version of Instagram for those under 13?

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Instagram illustration. – Igor Golovniov – Sopa images – Sipa

  • Facebook wants to launch a version of Instagram, specially dedicated to the youngest.
  • Dozens of child protection associations, but also researchers, doctors and psychologists, who are protesting today against this project, have sent a letter to the boss of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg.
  • “Unfortunately, this is not the first digital company to seek customer loyalty in this way. But this approach poses a problem, because it concerns the mental health of our children ”, explains Justine Atlan, general manager of the Association e-Enfance.

Is Facebook going to launch an “Instagram Kids” soon? The mother house of the photo and video sharing platform, created in 2010, has indicated that it is working on a social network project exclusively intended for children under 13 years old. “We started exploring a version of Instagram for younger teens. […] We agree that any experience we develop should prioritize security and privacy, and we will consult with experts in child development, safety and mental health as well as privacy advocates. “, A spokesperson for Facebook explained on Thursday, in an attempt to extinguish the criticism.

Because dozens of child protection associations, but also researchers, doctors and psychologists are protesting today against this project. “More and more research shows that excessive use of digital and social media is dangerous for adolescents. Instagram, in particular, takes advantage of young people’s fear of missing out on an event. […] The platform’s constant attention to appearance and image undermines the privacy and well-being of adolescents, ”explains this international coalition of child rights professionals, which has just issued a statement. warning the boss of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg, and who calls for the abandonment of this project.

“A safer space” for the youngest?

Facebook has not yet officially decided the question of an “Instagram Kids”, but according to the Californian company, this version intended for children would have for main objective to allow them to use the platform “in full safety”. One of Facebook’s arguments today is to advance the fact that there are already many children who frequent its platform. Because the social network, which in theory prohibits the registration to its platform to those under 13, does not in fact carry out any age verification, thus exposing the youngest to numerous advertisements, but also to cyberstalking phenomena. and child crime. “Instagram Kids” would also be a way to further regulate children’s personal data, subject to stricter rules.

“More and more kids are asking their parents if they can join apps that help them follow their friends. Right now, there aren’t many options for parents. We are therefore working on the creation of additional products suitable for children, managed by parents. We plan to provide a parent-controlled experience on Instagram to help kids follow their friends, discover new hobbies and interests, and more, ”explains to 20 minutes Instagram France.

A “security” argument swept aside by the child protection associations who “believe that it is unlikely that children from 10 to 12 years illicitly using Instagram decide to leave it to return to a version more suited to their age. […] The target of Facebook is actually much younger, in order to get them used to its ecosystem as soon as possible, ”explains the collective.
Campaign for a commercial-Free Childhood (“Campaign for an Ad-Free Childhood”). “Facebook’s heavy liabilities in terms of exploiting young people and taking risks with regard to them make it a particularly unsavory company as the custodian of a photo-sharing and messaging platform intended for children, ”adds the collective which campaigns against marketing targeting children.

Justine Atlan, general manager of the e-Enfance association, which manages the Net Ecoute platform against cyberviolence, is more nuanced on this project. “Creating a space for children that is more secure and with more parental controls could, in fact, be a good thing. But the trouble is, Facebook isn’t addressing the real problem. Instead of widening access to social networks to the youngest – who have no use or need at all at this age – the platform would do better to find safeguards to prevent the less 13 years to access it today. However, it does not do much, and we see all the harm that such an exhibition without real control can cause, ”she explains to 20 minutes.

“Building customer loyalty from an early age”

Faced with competition from TikTok and Snapchat among teenagers, Facebook is mainly looking today, with this “Instagram Kids” project, to strengthen its grip on the youngest users. For Instagram, recruiting children under 13 for its children’s version is a way of ensuring that they will continue to use the “grown-ups” platform since they will have adopted the application codes from an early age. “Unfortunately, this is not the first digital company to seek customer loyalty in this way. But this approach poses a problem, because it concerns the mental health of our children, ”notes the Executive Director of
the e-Childhood association, stressing that acts of cyberviolence have exploded since last year, because of the health crisis and lockdowns.

“While collecting valuable family data and retaining a new generation of Instagram users is arguably good for Facebook’s bottom line, it is likely to increase Instagram use by young children who are particularly vulnerable to functions. of the platform promoting manipulation and exploitation ”, worries for its part the collective Campaign for a commercial-Free Childhood, which has just launched a petition to officially ask for the abandonment of this project.

In addition to this, you need to know more about it.

This is not the first time that Facebook has plans to launch a platform specifically aimed at children. In 2018, the Californian company had already expressed the idea of ​​launching a Messenger Kids. “A project that has never seen the light of day in France, but of which there is a version in the United States. Parents are clearly not ready to see this kind of platform specially reserved for children land in France ”, explains Justine Atlan, who is betting that this project will surely be relegated to oblivion…





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