There is a flurry of apps around today’s teen’s device. They use many captivating messaging apps and chatting platforms. One, in particular, that stands out to parents is the famous Kik Messenger app. Is Kik safe for kids? That’s what this article is all about.
Ever since the messaging apps, online chatting platforms, and social networking – dating with random strangers started, the concept of online communication also changed. Due to that, teenagers, Online dating, and texting trauma seem to be inseparable these days.
Is Kik messenger dangerous for kids? Let’s explore this famous instant messaging mobile app.
What Parents Should Know About Potentially Dangerous Kik Messenger App
The anonymous messaging apps or one-on-one encrypted chat platforms are the most dangerous apps with a major child predator problem. Kik online chatting app is one of them.
What Is Kik Messenger?
Kik Messenger is an instant messaging app that works well on iOS and Android devices. It is famous amongst teenagers and the app claims to preserve user anonymity better than similar chat platforms.
Anyone can log in to Kik without even providing a phone number, and messages sent through Kik are stored in the app, not on the phone directly like regular text messages. It is a free app that uses either cell phone data plans or WiFi.
With these features, Kik may sound safe to a few parents in terms of guarding their kids’ anonymity online, but the lack of accountability is a cause of concern. Just like Omegle for kids, Kik is another tempting anonymous chat platform that may potentially risk kids’ virtual life.
How Kik Messenger Functions?
Kik looks like any other general instant messaging service. After signing up you can easily connect to your friends and family by searching for their usernames. You need to scan a Kik code that looks like a circular QR code to enable access to the address book.
Moreover, Kik also has apps inside of it, and some of it costs money. These apps may not be appropriate for kids, as they are dating apps for adults and use obscene language and content. Online predators and bullies may harass innocent kids on such apps.
That’s why across the globe, parents are using Bit Guardian Parental Control. It is one of the best app blocker for Android devices. You can block all the in-appropriate apps with this child monitoring app. It is one of the best apps for teenagers that offers excellent real and virtual life safety features.
- Screen Time Control Features
- Location Tracking And Geo-Fencing
- App Block And App Install Block
- Panic Alert and SOS Button
- Anti-Theft Feature
Is Kik Messenger Safe For Kids?
The cross-platform online chatting app Kik’s reputation is particularly bad because it can be used by online predators. Kik is said to be unsafe for kids.
Predators’ Paradise
Strangers are hidden behind their username and there is no authentic data to identify them. That makes this platform an easy ground for predators.
- Kids can easily be bullied and harassed during the anonymous chats with strangers.
- It is a predators’ paradise and kids are not safe on this messaging platform. The chats can be misused for cyber fraud.
- Any random stranger can trick your kids to get personal confidential details and further can misuse these information.
Child Abuse And Pedophiles
- There are many instances of kids being molested on Kik Messenger.
- Pedophiles use this platform for sex chat or to harass innocent kids with adult content and improper language.
- As messages are encrypted it becomes the safest platform to con innocent kids.
A Honeypot That Does Not Delete Predators’ Profiles
Kik itself suggests that teens under 13 should not be allowed by parents to use the app, for both safety and data management purposes.
- There are many cases wherein, Kik Messenger is used as a honeypot to trick the teens.
- Also, many times parents have raised the concern of child safety and when some profiles get detected as pedophiles Kik does not delete it.
- Data leaks, Phishing, and other scams are frequent on Kik.
Parental Controls And Kik For Kids
Kik offers various safety features, such as muting the inbound messages from random strangers. These again are similar to other chatting and messaging apps and are not particularly reliable. There is no chat filtering that can expose kids to adult content.
Apart from that, if your kids are using Kik Messenger, you must use third-party parental control apps. It is inevitable to use kids safety apps to keep kids safe.
Let’s Wrap It Up!
Kik for kids is one of the many risky messaging apps. The Internet is flooding with numerous such online anonymous chatting platforms. Use a reliable child monitoring app like Bit Guardian Parental Control to ensure your kids’ s safety online.
