Facebook launches A new Facebook Messenger Kids for children
Facebook launches Monday in the USA a version aimed at the children , messenger Kids, announced Facebook.is supposed to be prohibited for children under 13, Facebook has launched an Instant Messenger for children 6-12 years.
Children under 13 years are still unable to create a genuine Facebook profile, but they now have access to Messenger Kids, a specially designed for children 6-12 years old IM app. This version is similar to the classic Messenger app, with the difference that it allows parents to control the use of their children. How? Via the contact list management and time spent on the application.
A new Facebook Messenger Kids
Specifically, the child downloads the application, and then the parent creates a kids Messenger account through their own Facebook account. The child's account is therefore linked to that of the parent (they must necessarily be friends on Facebook), that is, whenever the child wants to come into contact with another person, the parent will have to approve the relationship.
Once the contact has been validated, the child can send messages and their exchanges remain private, unless the parent requests access to the profile when registering. Like the classic version, Messenger Kids allows the youngest to send GIFs and stickers, suitable for the smallest, but also to make audio calls or Visio.
Messenger Kids is an application "video chat and messages designed so that children can contact family and friends posted by their parents", that "full control of the contact list", explains the group in a statement.
In this version, "there are no ads, no in-app purchases", says Facebook, accompanying the launch of a luxury of precautions for the safety of children and the protection of their privacy.
"We want to be sure that the uses of technology by our children are positive, safe and appropriate to their age", says group based in California (West), taking care to specify that the application is consistent with the regulation on the protection of children on the internet.
Messenger Kids is available at the moment on devices and the Apple brand only in the United States, said Facebook, which States that it will then be available via shops online from Amazon and Google applications.
In practice, once the application is downloaded, the parents create a Messenger Kids account for their child through their own Facebook account, then allow the contacts to be included in the list of their child or not.
The classic version of Messenger boasts more than one billion users.
Businesses walk on eggshells when it comes to offering technology products destined for children, authorities and associations of protection of children being on the alert on this topic.
In early October, the Mattel toy company including renounced market a connected speaker for children as a result of a Slingshot associations and American parliamentarians.
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The safety of children, at the heart of the problems. After the controversy over the security flaws of certain connected toys that can transmit the personal data of young users to third parties, the issue of protecting children's privacy remains sensitive. Nevertheless, the social network held to reassure the parents of the users during the launch of this application on Monday 4 December: "We wanted to be sure that the uses of technology by our children are positive, secure and adapted to their young age", Explains Facebook, before taking care to clarify that more of our research with thousands of parents, we collaborated with a dozen expert advisors in the areas of child development, online security, as well as media and technologies for children"and recalled that" the collection of personal data under 13 is strictly governed by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and requires parental consent for all " retrieving information, such as name or email address".
Furthermore, it ensures that he has, in this version, or advertisements purchases: the child cannot achieve financial transaction, an option added a few months ago on the classic Messenger. Facebook has also deployed a team of human moderators in charge to identify inappropriate behavior and intervene as quickly as possible on the potentially dangerous content. Finally, a report option can activated in the event of violent exchanges, disturbing, or any form of harassment: an alert is sent to the Facebook teams and parents are immediately notified.
A very active age category on the Internet. If in theory, Facebook is banned under the age of 13, the rule is however easy to circumvent. Simply by indicating a false birth date when registering. Moreover, more than 7 million users were below the age limit allowed by the social network in 2011, according to a study of the magazine Consumer Reports.
And that, Facebook is well aware, that is why many employees of the company develop products and services specially designed for children and teenagers, in order to better frame the use and the protection of the data, and Especially better to adapt to the strict requirements of the COPPA. Finally, to further limit cyber harassment or violent content, the platform has refloated its moderation workforce: "7 500 people will soon devote themselves to this mission," reassures Facebook.
For the moment, Messenger Kids is only available in the United States and only for device holders (smartphones, tablets, computers) of the Apple brand, but it will soon be offered through online applications stores like Amazon or Google Play.
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