Facebook ‘exploring’ child-friendly version of Instagram
A Facebook spokesperson said it will be 'a parent-controlled experience'
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg discusses seeing Instagram as a threat and buying the company, and Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., argues whether or not this is an anti-competitive acquisition.
Facebook is building a children-focused version of the popular Instagram app, catering specifically to kids under the age of 13.
A Facebook spokesperson confirmed to FOX Business that it is exploring options that are suitable for children to use, which can be monitored by parents.
“Increasingly kids are asking their parents if they can join apps that help them keep up with their friends. Right now there aren’t many options for parents, so we’re working on building additional products - like we did with Messenger Kids - that are suitable for kids, managed by parents,” the spokesperson said. “We’re exploring bringing a parent-controlled experience to Instagram to help kids keep up with their friends, discover new hobbies and interests, and more.”
Buzzfeed News was the first to report the revelation from Facebook after obtaining an internal memo detailing the plans for Instagram.
Earlier this week, the social media giant put out a blog post detailing its policies to protect young users on the app. The company introduced a new feature that prevents adults from sending direct messages to people under the age of 18 who don’t follow them.
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As it currently stands, children under the age of 13 are not permitted to use the app. The company said it is working on ways to verify a user’s age when he or she signs up so that ineligible children are not able to lie about being older.
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