As I reflect on #WorldAIDSDay, I think one of the most important messages that I want youth to take away from the celebration is knowing their truth and standing firm in it. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the letter. A nonprofit founded in California by and for the youth. Inspiring CASAs: Volunteer Advocates for Youth Facing Homelessness March 24, 2020 By Voices For Children Our mission draws its strength from the incredible individuals in our community who step up—in good times and bad—to let our most vulnerable population of children know there is … —- linktr.ee/advocatesforyouth. Concerns grow for children’s health as screen times soar during Covid crisis. 'A long way to go:' Why TikTok still has a QAnon and COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theory problem, Don't like that Facebook post? Within the framework of this project, the Assembly of European Regions together with JEF Europe, organised an advocacy training seminar which aimed to empower young people to advocate for meaningful youth participation at local and regional level. Despite alarm among health advocates and lawmakers, Facebook doesn't seem inclined to drop the plan. Advocates for children from around the world urged Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday to ditch plans for a version of Instagram geared toward pre-teens. Advocates for Youth champions efforts to help young people make informed and responsible decisions … Stephanie Otway, a Facebook spokeswoman, reiterated the tech giant's position on exploring an Instagram for kids. A coalition led by the Campaign for a Commercial … Now you can file an appeal to get it taken down. "Doing so would send a strong message that Facebook understands the vast concerns about the effects its business model is having on young people and is open to solutions that truly benefit children and teens, not just Facebook’s market share.". Nearly 100 worldwide experts and advocates are urging Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to ditch plans to create an Instagram for kids, claiming such a platform will exploit kids' overall well-being. Advocates for Youth, Washington D. C. 27K likes. Have social platforms reached their peak? Sharing stories, amplifying voices & inspiring local … The group says that a version of Instagram – the photo- and video-sharing app with more than 1 billion users – for kids under 13 preys on their fear of missing out as their ravenous desire for approval by peers exploits their developmental growth. Advocates fear a version of Instagram for children under 13 would put them at “great risk.” LightRocket via Getty Images. projects: @amazeparents, @knowyour9, #KikisWithLouie. Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal, along with Congresswomen Kathy Castor and Lori Trahan, sent a letter to Facebook demanding answers by April 26 about the proposed Instagram for kids platform. "We do not want even younger children to be exposed to that kind of negative content and to contribute to a new generation of mental health issues," said Steyer who suggested Facebook should create better "privacy-protective products" for adults. Instagram for Kids . An international group of 35 organizations and 64 experts, coordinated by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, released a letter Thursday urging Facebook to abandon its plans to release an Instagram app for kids under 13-years old. "I think helping people stay connected with friends and learn about different content online is broadly positive," Zuckerberg told members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 25. Furthermore, Steyer said Instagram can also harm a young person's perception of body image, especially girls. A coalition led by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and groups including the Center for Humane Technology, Common Sense Media and the Center for Digital Democracy along with dozens of researchers sent a letter Thursday to Zuckerberg expressing their concerns. They also ask if they would commit that an Instagram for kids won't include features such as "stories" and "vanishing mode," they say make it difficult to track bullying and child exploitation. YOUTH ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE. 180 Likes, 4 Comments - Advocates for Youth (@advocatesforyouth) on Instagram: “39%. According to the New York Times: These public pleas come nearly a month after the world's largest social media network said an Instagram for kids is in its "very early stages," with Zuckerberg confirming those plans during a Congressional hearing on misinformation. Facebook Plans To Release Instagram For Kids, Child Advocates Cry Out. The lawmakers raised several questions for Facebook including how would the company commit to independent audits focusing on privacy, marketing and harmful content. “The platform’s relentless focus on appearance, self-presentation, and branding presents challenges to adolescents’ privacy and wellbeing.”. Advocates for Youth partners with youth leaders, adult allies, and youth-serving organizations to advocate for policies and champion programs that recognize young people’s rights to honest sexual health information; accessible, confidential, and affordable sexual health services; and the resources and opportunities necessary to create sexual health equity for all youth. Engaging Young Parents: A Toolkit for Youth-Serving Organizations and Agencies is designed to help youth-serving institutions authentically engage young parents as partners and leaders in their organization’s efforts to serve young families. “Young children are highly persuadable by algorithmic prediction of what they might click on next, and we are very concerned about how automated decision making would determine what children see and experience on a kids’ Instagram platform,” the letter said. This said version was also going to allow parents transparency and control over the kids’ account. The toolkit provides best practices, t Then tell the world by tapping that paper airplane…” 363 Followers, 418 Following, 80 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from St Mary Advocates for Youth (@stmaryadvocates) “It is alarming that we still know so little about companies that know so much about us,” the commissioners said. Led by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, a … The experts also worry that  "automated decision-making" could affect what kids see. Campaign for a Commercial-free Childhood wrote a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, claiming the “image-obsessed” platform is dangerous for children‘s health and privacy. 125 Likes, 1 Comments - Advocates for Youth (@advocatesforyouth) on Instagram: “Take action for #NYHAAD at the link in our bio! Advocates for children from around the world urged Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday to ditch plans for a version of Instagram geared toward pre-teens. Advocates for Youth is dedicated to creating programs and promoting policies that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. —-. We provide information, training, and advocacy to youth-serving organizations, policy makers, and the media in the United States and internationally. "We urge you to abandon those plans," the letter said. Last week, Sens. Earlier this year Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of social media giant Facebook, announced plans to develop a version of Instagram for kids under the age of 13. The experts said in its letter to Zuckerberg that kids between 10 and 12 with existing Instagram accounts are unlikely to convert to a "babyish" version. We support youth activists organizing around⚡️ #SexualHealth & #ReproRights . Parents have been warned that a proposed “Instagram for children” poses a wealth of concerns, with global health advocates demanding Facebook’s boss scrap the plans. ", On Thursday, Blumenthal tweeted that his consumer protection subcommittee will hold hearings "to pass laws meeting the threat – dangerous appeals to young minds who can’t see the deception.". Pew Research survey shows little user growth since last year. The politicians added if the tech giant fails to fully show how they will meet "the highest standards" of protecting users, "we would advise you to abandon your plans to launch this new platform. Children’s health advocates urged Mark Zuckerberg to abandon the plan citing the negative effects of social media on children, Last modified on Thu 15 Apr 2021 20.20 BST. They cite a “growing body of research” demonstrating the negative effects social media has on young people. Hide likes? "And we haven't worked through all of that yet," Zuckerberg continued. Nearly 100 worldwide experts and advocates are urging Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to ditch plans to create an Instagram for kids, claiming such a platform will exploit kids' overall well-being. We also want to find practical solutions to the ongoing industry problem of kids lying about their age to access apps.". Nearly 100 worldwide experts and advocates are urging Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to ditch plans to create an Instagram for kids, claiming such a platform will exploit kids' … "I think something like this could be quite helpful for a lot of people.". In December, the Federal Trade Commissioners issued a joint statement in support of an investigation of social media’s impact on children. "Younger children are even less developmentally equipped to deal with these challenges, as they are learning to navigate social interactions, friendships, and their inner sense of strengths during this crucial window of development.". The company currently requires users to be 13 years or older to create an account. Parents have been warned that a proposed “Instagram for children” poses a wealth of concerns, with global health advocates demanding Facebook’s boss scrap the plans. Some lawmakers who Zuckerberg addressed last month aren't buying it despite Facebook announcing an update to Instagram's safety tools and privacy settings for its teen users. Rolling out a new version of Instagram for kids is a very, very bad idea, child safety advocates are telling Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Yet the company faces hurdles from lawmakers who want the tech giant to … Advocates for Youth works alongside thousands of young people here in the U.S. and around the globe as they fight for sexual health, rights and justice. An international coalition of children’s health advocates has called on Facebook to abandon its plans to build an Instagram product for kids, citing harm to teens from excessive use of social media. The groups add that while Instagram has been proven to have negative effects on teens, the impact may be even more grave for those under 13. The experts believe that a kids version of Instagram will instead attract younger kids without an account. Instagram, along with parent Facebook, has been criticized by users, advocacy groups and lawmakers for harboring harmful content and fostering … Advocates for Youth is the only organization that works both in the United States and in developing countries with a sole focus on adolescent reproductive and sexual health. In a letter coordinated by the youth advocacy non-profit the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, more than 20 groups and dozens of individual advocates and researchers say an Instagram for children would “put young users at great risk” and implore the chief executive officer, Mark Zuckerberg, to scrap the project. He cited Common Sense's latest mental health report that found the percentage of teens encountering hateful content online has nearly doubled in the last two years. Zuckerberg at a hearing relating to Facebook antitrust concerns this year shrugged off criticisms of the platform, saying “there is clearly a large number of people under the age of 13 who would want to use a service like Instagram” to “stay connected with friends”. "There were clearly issues that need to be thought through and worked out, including how parents can control the experience of kids, especially kids under the age of 13. Advocates for Youth. This past week, Advocates for Youth, an organization that trains and empowers young people to be advocates for reproductive and sexual rights, hosted a Facebook live chat under the hashtag #SexEdLive. Campaign for a Commercial-free Childhood wrote a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, claiming the “image-obsessed” platform is dangerous for children‘s health and privacy. Otway added that an Instagram for kids will be free from ads and the accounts will be managed by their parents. Campaign for a Commercial-free Childhood and the Electronic Privacy Information Center were among nearly 100 groups and individuals from North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia to make the plea in a letter … An international coalition of children’s health advocates has called on Facebook to abandon its plans to build an Instagram product for kids, … TikTok's conspiracy theory issues: 'A long way to go:' Why TikTok still has a QAnon and COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theory problem, Facebook your way: Don't like that Facebook post? “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,” they said. Now you can file an appeal to get it taken down, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Children Advocates Tell Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook to Scrap Plans for Kids' Version of Instagram. Posts … We're bringing you interviews, animated videos, profiles, and more - all focused on the collective power and strength of young people. After Buzzfeed reported the potential of an Instagram for kids, Congress members Edward Markey, Kathy Castor, Richard Blumenthal and Lori Trahan wrote to Zuckerberg asking for more information on the project – about which they said they had “serious concerns”. This message is for the YOUTH and YOUTHFUL. CCFC is a nonprofit organization that believes that child-targeted marketing, along with the excessive screen time it encourages, will damage kids’ healthy development, and is dedicated to ending marketing to children. Otway told NowThis that the company has “just started exploring” a kids’ version of Instagram and that it is consulting with child development, child safety, and privacy advocates. The campaign comes after Buzzfeed broke the news in March that Facebook seeks to build an Instagram product for people under the age of 13. It’s wild because it almost feels like I came out twice. #BETHECHANGE . With a version of Instagram for kids, Facebook Inc. says it can build a safer social-media haven for users under 13. Meanwhile, Jim Steyer, CEO of the nonprofit Common Sense Media, said Facebook is back to their "old bag of tricks" with yet another product to hook kids at a vulnerable stage in their lives. : Facebook and Instagram will leave that decision up to you, Safety tools: Instagram's new safety, privacy tools for teens include adult-minor restrictions in DMs, "The platform's relentless focus on appearance, self-presentation, and branding presents challenges to adolescents' privacy and well-being," the letter said. They want to connect with their family and friends, have fun and learn, and we want to help them do that in a way that is safe and age-appropriate. 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