Instagram Kids may not launch anytime soon as company hits pause on project after criticism

“The reality is that kids are already online, and we believe that developing age-appropriate experiences designed specifically for them is far better for parents than where we are today," Facebook said in a blog post.

Instagram has put its Instagram Kids project on hold for the time being. The development comes after the photo-sharing service received severe criticism for the project. Instagram Kids had been touted as requiring parental permission to join and was supposed to provide ad-free, age-appropriate content, but US lawmakers and advocacy groups have urged the social media giant to drop its launch plans, citing safety concerns.