Any parent who wants advice on keeping children safe online can contact the NSPCC and O2 helpline on 08. Fun Filters: Kid-friendly filters, reactions, and sound effects make video chats with friends and family even better. When kids block contacts, parents are notified. “We’d also encourage parents to have regular conversations with their children about what information is safe to share online and what to do if they see anything upsetting. Parent Dashboard: Parents can manage their kids' contact list, and monitor messages on the Messenger Kids app. “However, if this app is launched in the UK, it’s important that parents are given practical advice about how to set these accounts up and which contacts to approve to ensure their children are as safe as possible when using the app. “Facebook’s Messenger Kids is a step in the right direction in providing safe and age appropriate platforms for younger children to stay connected with family and friends,” a spokesman said. ![]() The app is currently only available in the US on Apple’s iOS operating system.įacebook says the app complies with US child online privacy laws and contains no adverts.Ĭhildren’s charity the NSPCC said the app was a positive move but urged the social network to continue working closely with parents. Messenger Kids requires parents to set up an account for their child, where only a name is required, with all contacts added and approved by parents from their main Facebook account. “In addition to our research with thousands of parents, we’ve engaged with over a dozen expert advisers in the areas of child development, online safety, and children’s media and technology who’ve helped inform our approach to building our first app for kids.” “Today, parents are increasingly allowing their children to use tablets and smartphones, but often have questions and concerns about how their kids use them and which apps are appropriate,” Facebook’s Loren Cheng said. ![]() The social network says the app has been designed to enable children to “safely” video chat and message friends and family, and has been developed in consultation with parents and safety experts. Messenger Kids is being trialled in the US as a standalone app for a smartphone or tablet that is controlled from a parent’s Facebook account and does not create a main Facebook profile for young users. * Download the Messenger Kids app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.Facebook has launched a new version of its Messenger app that is aimed at children. To make it more kid-friendly, Facebook has made a number of changes to the app. To set up a Messenger Kids account, you need to authenticate your child’s device using your own Facebook username and password. Apart from this, parents will be able to make the children’s profile photos visible to friends of friends. However, they will still receive notifications about the friend requests and will also be able to override any connections. For instance, parents can now let the kids choose their own friend requests. What are the new changes made to the app? The company claims that this wide roll-out is to help children stay connected with friends and are able to remotely learn while their schools remain closed during the COVID-19 ( coronavirus) pandemic. To recall, Messenger Kids was launched back in 2017 in the US and it expanded to Canada and Peru in 2018. Facebook says during these unprecedented times, the app will allow teachers to help kids keep on learning. It is controlled via the parent’s Facebook account and does not require the child to create an individual Facebook account. ![]() It also allows kids to send images to each other. What is Facebook Messenger Kids?įacebook Messenger Kids is a standalone app that allows kids to safely communicate with their family and friends via messages and video calls. Here’s all you need to know about Facebook Messenger Kids. The app is now available on both iOS and Android. The app is available in over 70 countries including India, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand and more. ![]() Called Messenger Kids, the new messaging app designed specifically for children between the ages of six and 12 and it does not require a Facebook account. (Image: AP)įacebook has come up with a new version, and it’s targeted at kids. Facebook Messenger Kids is a standalone app that allows kids to safely communicate with their family and friends.
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