Instagram isn't designed for children, but with the app's popularity they're hoping to change that. Executives are working on a version of the app designed specifically for children under 13, which currently aren't allowed to use the main app. Vishal Shah, Instagram's VP/Product, said in an internal memo “I’m excited to announce that going forward, we have identified youth work as a priority for Instagram and have added it to our H1 priority list."
Instagram has been notoriously criticized for users, specifically teens, having their privacy invaded and being bullied and harassed via the platform. Executives are working to make Instagram a more friendly place not only for teens that are already on the app, but for younger users who they hope to expand to in the near future.
While the company doesn't have a detailed plan or timeline for these changes, some of the groundwork was already laid with new restrictions announced earlier this week, including limiting messages between teens and adults they don't follow and restricting adults from seeing teen accounts in their Reels or Explore pages.
Would you want your young kids to have access to and use Instagram?