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Is Instagram For Tweens the New Way to Monetize Childhood? At What Cost?
Maybe it’s time we started getting real about how and why so much marketing is targeted at kids
It was probably no surprise to many people this week to hear that Facebook had been planning an Instagram for tweens. The outcry against it has caused them to stop planning and rethink the idea.
Despite many studies that have shown how Instagram has a detrimental effect on people, and most of all impressionable, vulnerable teens, the Instagram boss, Adam Mosseri, says the pause on their plans was to make sure they consulted with parents, experts, policymakers and regulators because they were keen to show “the value and importance of this project for younger teens online today”.
Value and importance for who? If you think anyone other than Instagram, maybe you should think again.
“On Instagram, many people post their entire lives for others to see and comment on. This leads to people judging, commenting, and even trying to emulate others they see on social media. This constant comparing to others can lead to a host of psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.” This is from one study by a doctoral student, Yael Treitel, at Walden University. There have been many…
