Zift Advisory
Messenger Kids is the kid-friendly version of the Facebook Messenger app. This app is available for download in both the App Store and the Google Play Store. It is rated for users of all ages and does not feature any in-app purchases or advertisements. The Messenger Kids app is safe for children of all ages.
What is Messenger Kids?
Messenger Kids is a standalone app on iOS designed specifically for younger users aged 6 to 12.
It offers parents and young users the ability to video and text chat with parent-approved users.
Users are able to select pre-approved and family-friendly filters for their video chats and can even search Giphy for safe gifs to share in chats.
Messenger Kids is in compliance with the COPPA (Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act) and does not have location services, advertising or in-app purchases available.
The goal of Facebook's Messenger Kids is to provide families a way to safely connect with one another, with some degree of parental control.
Is Messenger Kids safe for my kids?
Messenger Kids is relatively safe, with appropriate adult supervision. This app offers parents control of their child's contact list so only approved users can interact with your child. It also doesn’t have some of the red flags that other apps have, like advertising messages or in-app purchases.
Location sharing is disabled and a safe search for the in-app Giphy function is automatically enabled. There is also a dedicated support team 24/7 for kids to report anything inappropriate that they may come across.
Facebook positions Messenger Kids as, “an app that makes it easier for kids to safely video chat and message with family and friends when they can’t be together in person.”
Messenger Kids helps to shield its underage users from coming into contact with strangers, which is a common concern for parents who have kids who use other messaging or chat apps. Parents are able to approve each individual contact their child wants to interact with, however parents are not able to see the specific content of their child's chats.
Kids are able to report any inappropriate content they may come across and can also block users. Parents will receive a message their child has reported something to the support team, however, they won't be able to view the offending content themselves.
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