Instagram is putting a pause on the development of Instagram Kids, geared toward children under 13, so it can address concerns about access and content.

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, wrote in a post Monday on Instagram’s blog that the delay will allow the company time to “work with parents, experts, policymakers and regulators, to listen to their concerns, and to demonstrate the value and importance of this project for younger teens online today."

The announcement follows a withering series by The Wall Street Journal, which reported that Facebook, which owns Instagram, was aware that the use of Instagram by some teenage girls led to mental health issues and anxiety.

Mosseri said that Instagram believes it's better for children under 13 to have a specific platform for age-appropriate content, and that other companies like TikTok and YouTube have app versions for that age group.

Critics, including attorneys general for 44 states and territories, have urged Facebook to scrap its plans to launch a version of ithe photo-sharing app for children younger than 13. 

A letter to Facebook in May from the attorneys general argued, citing research, that social media can become addictive, that its focus on appearance can lead to low self-esteem and that kids under 13 are too young to fully understand what content is inappropriate and the long-lasting repercussions of their online behavior.

The officials also said an Instagram for kids could present privacy concerns and become an oasis for cyberbullies and sexual predators.

Mosseri wrote Monday that the Instagram Kids pause is not an admission that it’s a bad idea, arguing that children are already online.

“We firmly believe that it’s better for parents to have the option to give their children access to a version of Instagram that is designed for them — where parents can supervise and control their experience — than relying on an app’s ability to verify the age of kids who are too young to have an ID,” he wrote.