BOSTON (AP) – Child development experts and advocates are urging Facebook to pull the plug on its new messaging app aimed at kids.
A group letter sent Tuesday to CEO Mark Zuckerberg argues that younger children – the app is intended for those under 13 – aren’t ready to have social media accounts, navigate the complexities of online relationships or protect their own privacy.
Facebook launched the free Messenger Kids app in December, pitching it as a way for children to chat with family members and friends approved by parents. It doesn’t give kids separate Facebook or Messenger accounts. Rather, the app works as an extension of a parent’s account, and parents get controls such as the ability to decide who their kids can chat with.
The social media giant has said it fills “a need for a messaging app that lets kids connect with people they love but also has the level of control parents want.” But critics see the move as a way for Facebook to lure in a younger audience before they could move on to a rival service such as Snapchat.
“TARGETING YOUNGER CHILDREN”