With a version of Instagram for kids, Facebook Inc. says it can build a safer social-media haven for users under 13.
Yet the company faces hurdles from lawmakers who want the tech giant to keep its distance from kids — and the fact that plenty of children under 13 are already using the regular Instagram app.
The issue was brought into sharp relief this week, in the form of a letter sent by Democratic lawmakers to the company that raises fresh questions about Facebook’s recently announced plans for an Instagram-branded product designed for children under 13. Users under 13 are currently prohibited from joining any of the company’s platforms.
The letter follows a congressional hearing last month in which lawmakers from both parties bombarded Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg with questions about the plan, alleging that heavy usage of the company’s platforms…
