A new Instagram for kids under 13 is coming
from Facebook: Here’s what you should know
2022
Photo via Pexels
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BY ANALIESE DODD
Facebook has recently
announced they will be expanding
their popular photo
sharing app by launching
an Instagram for kids under
the age of 13. This new version
of the app will encourage
kids to create their own
safe experience where they
can share posts with their
friends. We’re looking at the
plan for this new app and
some of the concerns parents
should be aware of before
signing their kids up for
this new experience.
What is different about this
new Instagram for kids?
As of now, Instagram
doesn’t allow users under the
age of 13 in order to protect
kids’ privacy. This new Instagram
for kids (under 13 years
old) will allow kids to communicate
with one another
while limiting their access.
The program is led by Pavni
Diwanji, who has overseen
many children-focused projects
for Google including You-
Tube Kids. The exact layout
of the kid’s app hasn’t been
specified as the program is
still in early development.
Instagram has said they
need to do more to protect its
younger users from some of
the dangers that come with
social media. In particular,
they are looking into ways to
prevent the bullying, predation
and abuse that sometimes
finds kids on their app. This
new version of Instagram
will severely limit access to
these kinds of environments,
and will give parents control
or transparency over what’s
happening on their child’s account.
What are some concerns over
the app?
While this new version
of the app may invite kids to
engage with one another, parents
should still be wary of the
new experience. Despite Instagram’s
assurance that the
app will be secure, there are
still risks with getting young
kids involved with this kind
of social media. Sometimes
when kids get involved with
apps like YouTube Kids and
other kid versions of apps,
they transition quickly to the
adult versions of the app.
Buzzfeed’s article,Facebook
Is Building An Instagram
For Kids Under The Age Of
13,points out several concerns
that arose when Facebook
started a similar kids version
of Facebook Messenger called
Messenger Kids.
There were several problems
with the program that
allowed kids to enter chats
with unauthorized users. The
problems were limited to a select
number of users, but it was
still a danger to young kids
who were using the app.
This new Instagram for
kids app has not been fully
developed or tested, but it
might be best to keep as updated
as possible while more
information comes in.
This new Instagram can be
a great thing for kids in moderation,
but it is easy for them
to get consumed by it. Each
family should make their
own choice when it comes to
downloading the app and deciding
the parental controls
that are appropriate for each
individual child.
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