A group of activists on Thursday called on Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB ) Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg not to create a children-under-13 version of the photo-sharing app Instagram, citing would expose them to a “great risk”.

The letter from the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) addressed to Zuckerberg comes at a time when the world’s largest social network has come under fire for amplifying misinformation globally across all of its platforms, while exposing children to inappropriate material. (https://

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Instagram exploits young people’s fear of being ostracized and leads them to constantly check their devices, seeking approval and uploading photos, CCFC said, adding that the platform’s continued focus on appearance and presentation would challenge privacy and the well-being of adolescents.

“While collecting valuable family data and cultivating a new generation of Instagram users may be good for Facebook’s bottom line, it’s likely to increase Instagram use by young children who are particularly vulnerable to the manipulative and exploitative characteristics of Facebook. the platform,” the letter says.

CCFC is a non-profit organization that believes that marketing to children, along with the excessive screen time it encourages, will harm children’s healthy development.