Save the Children?
Did you know Facebook has launched a messenger app purely for under thirteens? This is super important as it could enable to Facebook to recapture their dwindling young teen market even before they come of age. 'Messenger Kids' allows under thirteens to stay in touch with their peers as well as those over thirteen - who receive messages through the regular Facebook messenger touch points. Parents regulate who their children can add, and importantly messages can only be deleted by a parent. As required by US law, no data is collected, and there are also no adverts. There are child-protection groups claiming this is a step too far by Facebook, especially given recent studies showing social media's potentially negative impact on the mood of adolescents and parents. However, other child-protection groups claim that young children are using Facebook regardless of the under thirteen restrictions. Perhaps this is a sound way of protecting young children and building Facebook's audience. Do you think this is a selfish or selfless move by Facebook, or have they found the perfect middle ground?