Facebook Messenger Kids now has a fresh update and comes with many new features to curate children’s experiences better. Parents will have better control over the messenger app and kids will get to interact and communicate on a more user-friendly interface. Facebook Messenger will get this update in every country where it is available.
What is Facebook Messenger Kids?
Facebook Messenger Kids it’s announced to be back in December 2017 as an alternative to the main Messenger app. In fact, the idea was to help parents and guardians review with whom their children connect. As there have been increasing instances of children being contacted by unsavory individuals, Facebook felt it was necessary to come up with an application that was child-friendly. Moreover, the app complies with Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA) and is available on both iOS and Android.
Facebook Messenger Kids comes with a number of useful features. Some of them include:
- Augmented reality (AR) filters to screen individuals that connect with them
- Games and education content that keep kids engaged
- Hide phone numbers and accounts from Facebook searches
- Use first and last names to register, bypassing the need to enter a mobile number
- Accounts will not be migrated to regular Facebook when children attain the age of 13, which is a minimum for someone to create an account on Facebook.
The new update comes with the following features:
- View with whom the child is chatting
- Review videos and images that a child exchanges, and report inappropriate content
- View the blocked and reported lists, along with the reasons for doing so
- Request a copy of the messages, videos and images sent and received
- A parent dashboard on both iOS and Android platforms, from where parents can control the app
- Educational and entertainment content that is child-friendly
The child-friendly update is welcome
As you can see, the new update comes with a number of useful features. In addition, it eliminates security risks and vulnerabilities that a child might have to encounter if they used Facebook without supervision. As there have been many cases of online stalking harassment, and bullying, these measures are welcome. Facebook Messenger App is doing a commendable job when it comes to protecting the rights of children, and helping parents to review their wards’ social media activity.
