Instagram for kids paused amid backlash

Instagram has now paused its plans to roll out a version of its video-sharing site for kids amid a wave of criticisms.

The Facebook-owned photo-sharing service has, for a while, touted the idea of creating what is now called “Instagram Kids”.

The version, the platform had said, would require parental permission to join; provide ad-free and age-appropriate content.

However, lawmakers in the US and advocacy groups have opposed the idea, citing safety concerns.

The development had come on the back of a critical report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) which suggested that Instagram was “toxic for teen girls”.

In a statement via its blog on Monday, Instagram said it will take a pause on rolling out the product.

The platform also said it would use the period to work with parents, experts, and policymakers to demonstrate the value and need for it.

“We wanted to provide an update on our work to build an Instagram experience for people under the age of 13, often referred to as ‘Instagram Kids’,” it wrote.

“We started this project to address an important problem seen across our industry: kids are getting phones younger, misrepresenting their age, and downloading apps that are meant for those 13 or older.

“We firmly believe that it’s better for parents to have the option to give their children access to a version of Instagram that is designed for them — where parents can supervise and control their experience — than relying on an app’s ability to verify the age of kids who are too young to have an ID.”