Messaging apps: What are the best options for children?
Messaging apps offer a more exciting experience than regular SMS. Here's how to determine the best options for your child.
Written by Online Safety Expert:
Last modified Mar 20, 2023
Messaging apps offer a richer and more exciting experience than regular SMS messaging, thanks to built-in features such as GIFs, stickers, and games. However, in a world of disappearing chats, screenshots, privacy controls, and end-to-end encryption, it can be hard to decipher which app is most appropriate for your child.
Each messaging app features unique differences, such as how long messages stay visible, who can contact the user, and the kind of content shared on the app (among other things). Here we look at some of the more positive platform choices versus the riskier options at the other end of the scale, taking into account the most important safety considerations for children.
Children love to communicate using online messaging apps for several reasons. Firstly, messaging apps allow them to connect in group chats regardless of whether they use an iOS or Android operating system (helping to avoid exclusion). Additionally, online messaging apps allow chats to sync across devices, so they can function on smartphones, tablets, and computers. Given that messaging is a large part of how children socialise and communicate today, it’s essential to pick the right app for them, particularly when it comes to the issues of online safety, privacy, and age-appropriateness.
With the proper safety parameters in place, Messenger Kids is one of the safest messaging apps for pre-teens. Meta (formerly known as Facebook) developed Messenger Kids as a safer space for children aged six and over to interact with others online before they are old enough to have a Facebook account.
In the app, parents must set up a profile for their child. The app allows users to video call, message, and use filtered age-appropriate GIFs via the parent dashboard in one-on-one and group chats. Parents can approve their children’s contacts, and although they can’t see the content of their child’s messages, they receive a notification when an inappropriate conversation is reported. The app has good parental controls, making it an excellent place for children to start with online messaging.
JusTalk Kids is the child-friendly version of the JusTalk app, and it provides a platform for children to video chat and message for free. The great thing about JusTalk Kids is that no phone number or email account is required to set up a user profile, and all profile information is encrypted, keeping personal details safe.
JusTalk Kids was designed to stop children from receiving calls or messages from strangers. It automatically blocks anyone who tries to contact them if they haven’t accepted the user as a friend. The parental controls on JusTalk Kids allow parents to control what their child does on the app through the ‘parents only code’.
Girl2Girl Wall is an app created for tween girls aged eight to sixteen to chat about topics of relevance to them, and is promoted by the platform as the ‘best place for girls to ask questions and get advice’. Parents should keep in mind that some of the available chat groups, such as those which focus on topics like boys or diet and nutrition, may not be appropriate for those in a younger age range. Users under thirteen years of age need parental approval before creating an account, and identifiable personal information is not shared.
This messaging app is recommended over others because human moderators screen the content of the chats for inappropriate language, bullying, and offensive behavior before it is posted. Girl2Girl Wall is free to download and use; however, parents should be aware of the pop-up ads and in-app purchases on offer. Users also have the chance to win gift cards in exchange for completing surveys. Parents should ensure that they have included rules regarding in-app purchases in their family tech agreement, as well as rules around clicking on pop-up ads and links that take users to other social media platforms.
Kik Messenger allows users to text for free without any message limits. It is not recommended for children, as users can add others to their accounts by clicking on their username without seeking their permission first. Kik Messenger is an unsafe app for children as they can't control who can contact them, placing them at risk of experiencing online bullying and interacting with online predators. Pornography and other explicit images are regularly shared on Kik Messenger, often as the first message. In this instance, a child would be exposed to inappropriate content before they even have a chance to block the user sending it.
Discord is essentially a giant chat board that is very popular amongst gamers but is now frequented by teens and adults alike. Users join public or private servers to chat and leave voice messages for others on various topics, many of which are not appropriate for children. Discord is not recommended for children as the content is user-generated and unmoderated.
IMVU is the top-rated avatar-based social experience where users create custom avatars and use them to interact with others in chat rooms. There is a large amount of sexualised chat and content on IMVU, and users are often asked to divulge private information and share photos and webcam links. The chat moderation on IMVU is very poor, and children will likely come across online bullying, explicit content, and pornographic images using avatars.
With so many free online messaging apps available to download (not to mention the private messaging features available through popular social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter), making the right choice for your child can be tricky. Here are some key things to consider when performing your evaluation:
Picking a messaging app that's right for your child will allow them to develop their online communication skills and independence in a safe environment and create the foundation for healthy digital citizenship and responsible technology use. Learn more about giving your child their first smartphone.
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