Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has his sights set on profiting from...kids. The company has revealed plans, following a leak in March 2021, to create an Instagram app for kids, specifically targeting children ages 13 years and under.1,2
Social media and tech platforms are cesspools for toxic masculinity, body shaming, and bullying, regardless of age.3Studies have shown that teenagers are often using platforms like Instagram to bully one another, evading parental supervision or consequences due to the private nature of the site.4 Now, Facebook wants to allow kids to be exposed to this same harmful content as soon as they're old enough to hold a phone.
We've had success getting Facebook to change its tune during the Georgia Senate Runoff, but we need to act while it's still in development, right now !
Tell Mark Zuckerberg : NO Instagram for kids !
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We know that Facebook has a major problem stopping the spread of bullying and harassment on its platforms, which include Instagram and WhatsApp.5 Facebook and Zuckerberg have shown, time and time again, their preference for profit over people--from data mining and encouraging addictive behaviors. Facebook's desire to capitalize on a younger market may have disastrous consequences for kids as well as their parents, particularly single-parent households or those working two or more jobs, by overly placing the burden of monitoring activity on parents.6
A study done in the U.K. found that Instagram is "the most detrimental to young people's mental health and wellbeing."7 Due to the onslaught of cyberbullying, the death by suicide among teenage girls is skyrocketing in the age of social media.8,9 We do not need small children to experience this already toxic environment.10
Sign the petition and tell Mark Zuckerberg: NO Instagram for kids!
As we saw with YouTube Kids, which relies on an algorithm riddled with faults, content consistently goes from innocent and educational to violent, sexual, disturbing, and exploitative.11
Having an algorithm, rather than humans, determine what content is served up to children as soon as they are old enough to hold a phone is like having no one to supervise children at a park. Facebook has already been unable to uphold its promise of child safety and secure parental controls even on Kids Messenger.12
A lack of human supervision is ripe for children to easily become bait for traumatizing content, such as inappropriate language and behaviors by repeated exposure to increasingly more extreme content.13
Sign the petition and tell Mark Zuckerberg: NO Instagram for kids!
Facebook and Instagram have become the new homes for hate in this age of tech and social media. Having children on such a platform, with the unfair expectation that parents will be able to provide supervision at all times, will have dangerous consequences. We know that racism, misogyny, homophobia, and bullying are learned behaviors, not inherently known to a child. And social media is the new classroom for hate.14
We've had success getting Facebook to change its stance before. During the Georgia Senate Runoffs, we got Facebook to enroll poll workers in Facebook Protect.15 When we turn up the heat, Facebook listens. We know we can make them stop developing Instagram for kids before it's too late.
Right now, Instagram for kids is in the very early stages of development. This means that we have to make sure that it doesn't become reality. That's why we're reaching out to you, dear friend.
Will you sign the petition to demand Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook halt Instagram for kids?
Thanks for fighting against disinformation with us !
Shaunna, Kathy, Melody, Lindsay, Sonja, Kimberly, Maria, Elisa, KaeLyn, KD, Iris, Bridget, Katie, Jaya, Meena, Luna, and Isatou, the UltraViolet team.
Sources :
1. Experts say Instagram for kids is a terrible idea, Vox, April 15, 2021
2. Facebook Is Building An Instagram For Kids Under The Age Of 13, BuzzFeed News, March 18, 2021
3. Compared to Facebook, Instagram use causes more appearance comparison and lower body satisfaction in college women, Renee Engeln, et. al., September 2020
4. Teens Are Being Bullied 'Constantly' on Instagram, The Atlantic, October 10, 2018
5. Facebook must do more to stop online hate against women, U.S. and EU politicians urge, Reuters, August 6, 2020
6. Facebook forced to reckon with misinformation, hate speech, Chicago Tribune, March 24, 2021
7. Teen suicide rates are higher among girls – and it has to do with how they use social media, Scroll.in, January 19, 2020
8. Facebook urged to scrap Instagram for children plans, BBC News, April 15, 2020
9. Instagram Ranked Worst for Young People's Mental Health, Royal Society for Public Health, May 19, 2017
10. Parenting Children in the Age of Screens, Pew Research Center, July 28, 2020
11. Something is wrong on the internet, James Bridle, November 6, 2017
12. Facebook urged to scrap Instagram for children plans, BBC News, April 15, 2020
13. On YouTube Kids, Startling Videos Slip Past Filters, The New York Times, November 4, 2017
14. Children aren't born racist. Here's how parents can stop them from becoming racist, CNN, June 6, 2020
15. Facebook must protect democracy and Georgia election workers, UltraViolet, December 14, 2020
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