Religious leaders ask Zuckerberg to scrap Instagram kids!

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been urged to permanently drop plans to launch an Instagram version geared toward young audiences by rabbis, reverends, pastors, and other religious leaders, according to a letter sent by Fairplay and the Children’s Screen Time Action Network. Despite mounting opposition, Instagram dropped plans to roll out a kids’ version of the photo-sharing app last September.

In the letter, which was signed by more than 70 religious leaders, they assert that social media platforms that target young brains, use unethical data mining practices, and are motivated by profit motives are not a tool to promote the welfare of children. Recently, Instagram and its parent company, Meta Platforms, formerly Facebook, have been questioned about their impact on the mental health, body image, and safety of young users. This is especially after a leaked internal document by whistleblower Frances Haugen revealed the company’s attitude toward young users.

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, was grilled by a Senate panel in December about children’s online safety. A coalition of state attorneys general is also investigating Meta for promoting Instagram to children despite its potential risks. The leaked documents have been used to portray a false picture of the company’s work, according to Meta. In a statement, Instagram for kids explained that it was created to provide younger users with a safe and dedicated area to interact with the service. Instagram prohibits children under 13 from joining its platform, despite knowing there are users under that age.

Using references from the Bible, the Qur’an, Pope Francis, and Buddhist monk Thích Nh?t H?nh, the faith groups called on Zuckerberg, who has said religion is ‘very important’ on more than one occasion, to acknowledge both secular and spiritual concerns over the project. The company did not comment on the letter.

Meta conducted a concerted outreach to the religious community last year to drive engagement on its platforms. The organization, which has a team dedicated to faith partnerships, launched a new feature last year that allows people to request and send prayers via the website, sent out mini equipment kits to broadcast worship during COVID-19, and hosted its first virtual faith summit.