Is kids messaging app really safe for kids?

Introduction: What is kids messaging app?

In the good old days, messaging our crush or love is the first thing we (as a kid) used to do as soon as we hit back home after the school. And since, it was through SMS, it was quite safe in terms of privacy and security. But now, with the evolution of technology, there are several texting apps for kids to stay connected with friends and people. But are they really safe? Well, the goods and the bad of the emerging technology go hand in hand. Similarly, kids messaging app on one hand enables you with the privilege to get in touch with your friends and family. While on the other, it also opens doors for the aftermaths of sharing their private content over with friends and other people. We all know the benefits of texting apps for kids. But ever thought about possible dangers that kids messaging app can bring in? Well, let’s discover some.

The danger of kids messaging apps

In the modern era, by the 7th grade, almost every other teen has possession of a smartphone. It is indeed helpful at times but during the adolescence period teens get familiar with lot of psychological, sexual and social development. This is when a normal conversation can possibly take dangerous turns. Let’s understand how.

1. Teen sexting conversations

When adolescence hits the teen, they get curious about their sexual desires and is the time when the teen sexting conversations actually starts. Sexting over SMS is quite boring as you can only exchange text messages. But with the modern day kids messaging apps, sharing explicit images or videos is no less than a cakewalk. The solicited request can be made by either of the teen involved in the conversation. Teens do share their highly compromising pictures or videos over kids messaging apps without giving a single thought about the aftermaths of it. Sharing or having possession of such explicit content of teens (less than the age of 18) is an act of child pornographic offense.

2. Cyberbullying

Unfortunately, the aftermaths are very dangerous of sharing explicit content over the kids messaging apps with friends or with someone you just met over the app. Most teens’ lives get shattered when their highly compromising pictures or videos go public. It, eventually, leads to Cyberbullying and humiliation. Once such an image or video goes public, it just can’t be revoked back. People may hide such stuff behind firewalls or can capture screenshots to make use of it as per their wish.

3. Serious legal repercussions

As discussed above, sharing or having possession of any sort of nude picture or video of a child aged 18 or less is considered as child pornography. Sharing or receiving any such content is strictly prohibited and can lead to legal repercussions. Therefore, even if a teen sends their or someone else’s images or videos with nudity to anyone or keep hold of it, it can be considered an act of distributing or possessing child pornography.

What dangerous kids texting apps are popular today?

Several kids messaging app are popular these days that can prove to be dangerous. For this reason, we collated some of the widely used and best messaging app for kids.

3 kids texting apps for Android

1. Snapchat

Snapchat is basically a fast-paced photo sharing cum messaging platform and is, therefore, one of the most popular kids messaging app.

• It enables the user to share photos/videos or messages to your contacts for a specific period of viewing time. After the period expires, the content is self-destructed and cannot be viewed again.
• It notifies you immediately, if someone captures a screenshot of shared content that you’ve sent to your contacts.

2. WhatsApp

A yet another kids messenger app that is widely used by all age groups is WhatsApp.

• It enables the users exchange unlimited photos, videos, texts, voice notes and more.
• WhatsApp Web is a unique feature introduced to access the app via any web browser over your PC.

3. GroupMe

On the third spot, we have GroupMe. As the name suggests, it is a group messaging app which is being used by several teens and kids.

• It allows you to chat with numerous people at once.
• Receivers need not to have the GroupMe app installed in order to take part in the conversation.

3 kids texting apps for iPhone

1. Kik

Kik is a highly popular kids messaging app that enables the user to exchange private or group messages.

• Offers No annoying in-app purchases or adverts.
• The unique search function allows you to find like-minded Kik users and get connected with them.

2. Blendr

Out of the several online dating and social networking apps, Blendr is all the buzz among the teens.

• Enables the users to connect, chat and exchange photos or videos.
• Users, on the basis of GPS location, can also post a “hotness” level rating of other users.

3. Chatous

Next up on the list of dangerous texting apps for kids is Chatous. It randomly connects you with any of the users across the world and hence is pretty unsafe for teens.

• You can chat while being absolutely anonymous.
• Offers functionality to use Chatous on your PC or mobile as per your needs.

How FamiSafe remotely detect and block dangerous apps?

Encountered your teens making use of any of these kids messaging apps? Well, it’s your responsibility (as a parent) now to steer them clear of the dangers of such texting apps for kids. How? Fret not! Here we bring you a powerful one stop solution, Famisafe app to keep your kids safe from messaging app. It allows you monitor your kids’ smartphones and have complete control over it. As it enables you to block the apps that you think can be harmful for your kid.

• App activity & App blocker: Famisafe enables you to remotely monitor or block, as per your preference, the installed apps that can be potentially harmful for your kids.
• Explicit Content Detection: You’re enabled to create your own alert words list. If and when your kid looks for it or receives any such content, you get an alert of such activity automatically.
• Real-time Location Tracking: You can accurately track the real-time location and the whereabouts of your kids.
• Geo Fencing: You can maintain Geo Fencing rules, so as to receive an alert automatically if and when your kids move out of your reach.
• Web Content Filtering: It automatically blocks the offensive or harmful websites and filter out offensive content as well.

Final Words

So with the final words, we can conclude that there are several kids messaging apps available over the internet that can be both harmful and safe as well if used in certain limits.