Digital Smarts - Facebook Offers Messenger App For Children

You are here

Error message

  • Deprecated function: Creation of dynamic property MemCacheDrupal::$bin is deprecated in MemCacheDrupal->__construct() (line 30 of /var/www/html/docroot/sites/all/modules/contrib/memcache/memcache.inc).
  • Deprecated function: Creation of dynamic property MemCacheDrupal::$wildcard_flushes is deprecated in MemCacheDrupal->reloadVariables() (line 637 of /var/www/html/docroot/sites/all/modules/contrib/memcache/memcache.inc).
  • Deprecated function: Creation of dynamic property MemCacheDrupal::$invalidate is deprecated in MemCacheDrupal->reloadVariables() (line 638 of /var/www/html/docroot/sites/all/modules/contrib/memcache/memcache.inc).
  • Deprecated function: Creation of dynamic property MemCacheDrupal::$cache_lifetime is deprecated in MemCacheDrupal->reloadVariables() (line 639 of /var/www/html/docroot/sites/all/modules/contrib/memcache/memcache.inc).
  • Deprecated function: Creation of dynamic property MemCacheDrupal::$cache_flush is deprecated in MemCacheDrupal->reloadVariables() (line 640 of /var/www/html/docroot/sites/all/modules/contrib/memcache/memcache.inc).
  • Deprecated function: Creation of dynamic property MemCacheDrupal::$cache_content_flush is deprecated in MemCacheDrupal->reloadVariables() (line 641 of /var/www/html/docroot/sites/all/modules/contrib/memcache/memcache.inc).
  • Deprecated function: Creation of dynamic property MemCacheDrupal::$cache_temporary_flush is deprecated in MemCacheDrupal->reloadVariables() (line 642 of /var/www/html/docroot/sites/all/modules/contrib/memcache/memcache.inc).
  • Deprecated function: Creation of dynamic property MemCacheDrupal::$flushed is deprecated in MemCacheDrupal->reloadVariables() (line 643 of /var/www/html/docroot/sites/all/modules/contrib/memcache/memcache.inc).

As a parent you want to control who your children talk to online, so you can step in if anything becomes a problem. But, how do you do that? Facebook is now offering a solution by developing a messaging program for children younger than age 13 called Messenger Kids. Parents are able to use their own Facebook accounts to create Messenger profiles for their kids. These profiles have most of the features of full-blown Facebook Messenger, but messages are sent and received exclusively from a smartphone, tablet, or web-connected device (only on the Apple platform currently) and are controlled by parents.

 

Control is the key to Messenger Kids. Kids’ names don’t show up in searches of Messenger users. Once parents create an account, they get to decide whom their children are able to talk to. Parents can add friends and family they’re personally connected with–and those users’ kids, if they’re on Messenger Kids–to their offspring’s list of approved chat friends. 

 

Conversations within Messenger Kids are monitored, and should the app’s artificial intelligence detect an inappropriate word or image it won’t be sent. Kids can also report activity they find inappropriate or hurtful, a move that will also send a note to parents letting them know there was an incident such as “Sally reported Bobby.”

Related Posts