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Facebook halts development of Instagram Kids app post criticism

Date: September 29, 2021 Sunil Jha Sunil Jha
Facebook halts development of Instagram Kids app post criticism 
Facebook, the social media behemoth that controls Instagram and WhatsApp, has reportedly suspended development of its Instagram Kids project, following discoveries concerning the photo-sharing app's influence on teen mental health.



Instagram lately announced that it has temporarily “paused” the application development in order to address concerns expressed by parents, professionals, and authorities. The move follows Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) recent Facebook commissioned research indicating that Instagram might have an impact on girls' mental health in areas such as self-esteem and body image.



Adam Mosseri, the Head of Instagram, backed the concept of an Instagram site for 10- to 12-year-olds, citing that he was certain that youngsters should be allowed to use a version of the program – which excludes under-13s – that was created for them.



It would be essential to note that while Instagram believes there is a need to create the experience for Instagram kids application, it has chosen to put this initiative on hold. This will allow the firm time to collaborate with parents, politicians, experts, and regulators, to hear their worries, and to prove the value and relevance of this initiative for younger teenagers online today.



Mosseri's statement came just a day after Facebook's chief of research issued a rebuttal to the Wall Street Journal revelations, which prompted increased condemnation of the corporation from lawmakers on both sides of the Atlantic.



Pratiti Raychoudhury, Vice President, Head of Research at Facebook, stated that the company's study indicating that Instagram was hazardous for adolescent females, was completely false. In one case, Raychoudhury stated that, of the 12 issues listed on a slide quoted by the WSJ, body image was the only one issue that females claimed was made worse by Instagram.



This study, which relied on feedback from only 40 adolescents in certain cases, was intended to inform internal discussions regarding teens' most unfavorable impressions of Instagram. According to Raychoudhury, the study did not assess the causal links between Instagram and real-world concerns.



Source Credit: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/sep/27/facebook-pauses-instagram-kids-teen-mental-health-concerns

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Sunil Jha

Sunil Jha has been a part of the content industry for close to two years. Having previously worked as a voice over artist and sportswriter, he now focuses on writing articles for newsorigins.com, across a slew of topics, ranging from technology to trade and finance. With a business-oriented educational background, Sunil brings forth the expertise of deep-dive research and a strategic approach in his write ups.