Facebook is exploring the possibility of offering a version of Instagram for under 13s. Yes, like an Instagram Kids.
They want to offer a Messenger Kids-style solution where parents can have control and monitor their children’s activity.
A special version of Instagram for under 13s
Facebook is considering developing a version of Instagram for children under 13. So it can be read in one of the leaked internal publications. In that document, two priorities are mentioned: ensuring the integrity and privacy of teenagers who use the platform, and creating a special version of Instagram so that those under 13 can interact safely.
We have already shared, a few days ago, the new measures taken by Instagram to protect teenagers. And along with this measure, they also announced that they are working on a new AI system, which will help detect those teens who lie about their age. Measures that are aimed at teenagers, ranging from 14 to 18 years old.
However, now it seems that Facebook is focusing on those who are not allowed to use Instagram, those under 13 years old. This new initiative would be in charge of Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, who has already worked on services designed for children and teenagers in his time at Google, for example, YouTube Kids.
So we can expect a version of Instagram with moderation controls and tools for parents to monitor children’s activity on the platform. While there are no details yet on how this version of Instagram will work, they have confirmed that it is exploring this possibility, as Mosseri mentions from his Twitter account:
Kids are increasingly asking their parents if they can join apps that help them keep up with their friends. A version of Instagram where parents are in control like we did with Messenger Kids, is something we’re exploring. We’ll share more in the future.
Recall that Facebook already had a bad experience offering versions for minors with the launch of Messenger Kids, intended for 6 to 12-year-olds. Not only did it receive strong criticism, but it also had to deal with a serious bug in the app that left children exposed despite privacy controls. We’ll see how plans continue regarding this future “special version of Instagram”.
