Social media giants Instagram have been working on a version of the platform that is strictly for kids, but it seems like those plans might be on hold.
The Instagram Kids app is said to target "tweens" aged 10 to 12-year-olds who might have a mobile phone but are still too young to legally sign up for the Instagram app.
The app would be similar in principle to other kid-friendly social platforms like "Youtube Kids" in that it would have no advertisements or tracking and would allow parental control.
It would allow parents the ability to control how long they spend on the platform and who they interact with.
While it sounds like a great concept on paper it seems that the developers have decided to put it on hold for now.
Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri said in a recent tweet:
We’re pausing “Instagram Kids.” This was a tough decision. I still think building this experience is the right thing to do, but we want to take more time to speak with parents and experts working out how to get this right. pic.twitter.com/gMbPjft0CW
— Adam Mosseri 😷 (@mosseri) September 27, 2021
He says that it is just a "pause" and that he "still believes it's the right thing to do".
This essentially gives them more time to liaise with parent groups, experts, and regulators to find a common ground for the product which would need to go through massive amounts of testing to ensure a safe environment.
So of the features, they developed for Instagram Kids will make their way to the Instagram app, specifically the parental control features which will be for Teens old enough to have an account.
The company also introduced anti-bullying measures to protect younger users so there is a clear focus on attracting younger users to the platform who are opting for competitors like TikTok who have a "Family Pairing" option that allows you to customize your Teen's TikTok settings for a safer experience.