📷 Image Credit: Hong Kong Tatler 👆
By: Danica Lo

TL;DR Instagram is making an app for younger users, with safety for kids in mind.

Facebook recently announced its plans to release an Instagram app for kids under the age of 13. When it comes to technology and kids, there are a lot of different opinions and movements occurring at once. Currently, there are measures in place to try and keep kids off of social media sites, as research has shown negative effects. However, current events with Covid have many parents with gen alpha and gen z young kids reliant on the likes of “iPad babysitter” videos, plus using Zoom for educational purposes, which means trends are shifting younger.

Instagram knows that the age 13 and older policy in place is hard to enforce. So the Instagram team is working on an app for younger users with the hope that it will offer a safer space and community for gen alpha and gen z younger users. The team has reported that they are adding safety measures to protect younger users, but nothing compares to parent supervision keeping predators and inappropriate content at bay.

Written by: Sofia Christensen, Intern

Edited by: Lisa Knight, COO & Mentor