Washington (April 5, 2021) – Senator Edward J. Markey
(D-Mass.), Representative Kathy Castor (FL-14), Senator Richard Blumenthal
(D-Conn.), and Representative Lori Trahan (MA-03) today demanded answers from
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg regarding Facebook’s recent announcement that the
company is “exploring” plans to develop a version of Instagram for children. In
their letter, the lawmakers express concerns about Facebook’s past failures to
protect children on Facebook’s Messenger Kids app and highlight evidence that
young people’s use of social media platforms like Instagram may be detrimental
to those users’ wellbeing and mental health.
“Children are a uniquely vulnerable population
online, and images of kids are highly sensitive data,” write the lawmakers
in their letter. “Facebook has an obligation to ensure that any new
platforms or projects targeting children put those users’ welfare first, and we
are skeptical that Facebook is prepared to fulfill this obligation.”
A copy of th
e letter can be
found HERE.
In their letter, the lawmakers ask Mr. Zuckerberg a series of questions and
request detailed commitments about how any future version of Instagram for
children would operate, including:
- Will you commit that any platforms that Facebook
launches for children, including a version of Instagram that is marketed
for children, will never sell or share any user data with third parties
for commercial purposes? If not, why not?
- Will you commit that any platforms that Facebook
launches for children, including a version of Instagram that is marketed
for children, will always be completely free of targeted advertising? If
not, why not?
- Will you commit that any platforms that Facebook
launches for children, including a version of Instagram that is marketed
for children, will always be completely free of “influencer marketing” and
other forms of commercial content that children may be incapable of
identifying as advertisements? If not, why not?
- Will you commit that any platforms that Facebook
launches for children, including a version of Instagram that is marketed
for children, will not employ “push alert” techniques or similar design
features that encourage users to spend time on the app? If not, why not?
- Will you commit that any platforms that Facebook
launches for children, including a version of Instagram that is marketed
for children, will not employ features such as “like” buttons, follower
counts, or other tools that allow children to quantify popularity? If not,
why not?
- Will you commit that any platforms that Facebook
launches for children, including a version of Instagram that is marketed
for children, will not include beauty filters or similar design features
that can lead to an unhealthy body image?
- Will you commit that any platform that Facebook
launches for children, including a version of Instagram that is marketed
for children, will not include ephemeral features such as stories and
“vanish mode” which are difficult to monitor for bullying or child
exploitation?
The
lawmakers’ letter concludes, “Should Facebook fail to provide adequate responses
to the questions above or otherwise fail to demonstrate that a future version
of Instagram for children would meet the highest standards of user protection,
we would advise you to abandon your plans to launch this new
platform.”
