In a statement delivered by advocacy group Fairplay and its Children’s Screen Time Action Network on Tuesday, pastors, rabbis, and other religious leaders urged Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg to permanently halt the company’s proposal for an Instagram version aimed for young users.
Instagram’s intentions to launch a children’s version of the photo-sharing app have been on hold since September, as public opposition to the initiative mounted.
“After much meditation and prayer, we assert that social media platforms that target immature brains, practice unethical data mining, and are inspired by profit motives are not a tool for the greater good of children,” said the letter, which was signed by more than 70 religious leaders.
Instagram and its parent company, Meta Platforms (FB.O), formerly Facebook, have been heavily criticized for the potential impact of their services on young people’s mental health, body image, and safety, including after whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked internal documents about the company’s approach to younger users.
A Senate panel grilled Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri in December about children’s internet safety. A group of state attorneys general has launched an investigation into Meta for advertising Instagram to youngsters despite the risks.
