"įacebook could have more success with a kids app considering it is a global brand with a large user base. "These things only work if everyone else is on it as well," said Stephen Balkam, founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute and a member of Facebook's Advisory Committee. Other messaging apps for kids under 13 with parental controls have had trouble taking off, too. Snapchat declined to comment why when asked. It was a limited version of its main app and didn't let users send or receive photos or add friends. In 2013, Snapchat ( SNAP) launched a version of its disappearing photo platform for kids under 13 called SnapKidz. Related: 11 hottest toys for this holiday seasonįacebook isn't the first to create a chat app made for kids. She pointed to video-chatting services like Skype and FaceTime. "Do children really need that yet? You can get a lot of those modalities elsewhere." "As a parent, I would not be interested in a messaging product for my kids," Radesky said. The young age requirement could also be a concern. "There will probably be a bit of reaction that they're too young and there's a lack of interest for. "American parents are really protective of their young kids' privacy and social interactions," said Jenny Radesky, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan, C.S. It's also a part of Facebook's larger strategy to grow its 2 billion user base.īut the app will likely draw some criticism. Meanwhile, two out of three of those children have a device of their own.įacebook argued putting communication in a place that can be monitored by parents allows kids to connect with friends and family online in a fun, but controlled way. The biggest theme? Parents want more control - and Messenger Kids is Facebook's answer.Īccording to research conducted by Facebook and consultant firm Dubit, about 90% of kids between ages six to 12 have access to tablets or smartphones. to hear the major concerns about their kids using technology.
Related: Google cracks down on disturbing cartoons on YouTube Kidsįacebook said it worked with a committee of about a dozen experts and more than 250 online safety organizations to develop the app. It will also include tools to report or flag inappropriate content and block users. The company said it will collect "little data" about its young users and will not feature ads or in-app purchases. Facebook's policy still requires users to be at least 13 years old to sign up for the main site. "The ability to connect with only approved contacts is very important for that age range."Ĭhildren will not be able to access their parent's Facebook account and won't have their own account. "Safety is absolutely the most important concern being able to who they're using the device with," Loredana Crisan, Facebook Messenger's product design director, told CNN Tech.
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