Following the publication of a BuzzFeed News article, Facebook Is Building An Instagram For Kids Under The Age Of 13, Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Representatives Lori Trahan (D-MA3) and Kathy Castor (D-FL14) sent a letter with 14 questions on the proposed service to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
“Facebook has a record of failing to protect children’s privacy and safety, casting serious doubt on its ability to do so on a version of Instagram that is marketed to children,” write the lawmakers.
instagram_kids_letterThe document request follows a Congressional hearing the House Energy & Commerce Committee on March 25th in which multiple Representatives pressed tech CEOs on questions around harms to children.
Justin Hendrix is CEO and Editor of Tech Policy Press, a new nonprofit media venture concerned with the intersection of technology and democracy. Previously, he was Executive Director of NYC Media Lab. He spent over a decade at The Economist in roles including Vice President, Business Development & Innovation. He is an associate research scientist and adjunct professor at NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Opinions expressed here are his own.
