In December , Facebook launched Messenger Kids , a new electronic messaging religious service for kid as young as six . Now , a clustering of advocacy chemical group are urging Mark Zuckerberg to discontinue the app .
The Campaign for a Commercial - Free Childhoodsent a letterto Zuckerberg on Tuesday , arguing that societal medium is prejudicial to the development and well - being of younger children . The missive , signed by nearly 100 nestling health advocates , cites multiple work connecting social medium use and screen meter with depression , negative body range , eternal rest deprivation , and an increase in stress . by from the developmental detriment social mass medium may have on young children , there are also privacy implications to study . Children are now depending on Facebook — which has a screwy history of moderating capacity — to deal with harassment and inappropriate content . “ Messenger Kids is not responding to a pauperization – it is creating one , ” the letter states .
harmonize to app information company App Annie , Messenger Kids rate 36th on Apple ’s App Store charts for “ Kids Apps ” in the US as of yesterday . And it was ranked fifth among “ 9 - 11 Kids Apps ” in the US on iOS . While Messenger Kids is not nearly as pop as Facebook ’s steady Messenger app , these rankings show that the app is pose some attention .
“ Since we launched in December we ’ve hear from parent around the country that Messenger Kids has helped them stay in touch with their children and has enable their kid to ride out in touch with class extremity near and far , ” Facebooksaid in a argument to WIREDin response to the letter . “ For exercise , we ’ve heard tarradiddle of parents influence dark shifts being capable read bedtime stories to their children , and moms who travel for work getting daily updates from their kids while they ’re away . ”
In an effort to do better , Facebookannounced in Decemberthat it is working with expert and investing in enquiry to find out if time spend on societal media is uncollectible for us . handily for Facebook , there is now a missive with 97 experts and advocates who have a reaction to that shrewish dubiousness .
“ Doing better is leaving younger children alone and allowing them to develop without the pressures that come with social media use , ” the letter states . “ arouse shaver in our newfangled digital age is difficult enough . We enquire that you do not use Facebook ’s tremendous reach and influence to make it even harder . Please make a firm statement that Facebook is committed to the wellbeing of children and gild by pull the hack on Messenger Kids . ”
We have reached out to Facebook and will update this floor if we take heed back .
Update : The political campaign for a Commercial - Free Childhood offered the undermentioned gossip .
Will Facebook heed ? I think we ’re at a pivotal consequence where there is increase concern about the character that the grownup technical school companies are having in shaping our child , our families , our gild and democracy . Getting rid of an app that accustom young children into using societal medium seems like a good first step for Mark Zuckerberg to make good on his pledge to “ do better . ”
[ Wall Street Journal ]
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