While the app does offer a suite of parental controls that make it easier for parents to monitor and restrict how and when their children chat online, Messenger Kids’ privacy policy still leaves itself a lot of wiggle room about how the data may be used to “evaluate, troubleshoot, improve, create, and develop our products” and be shared with other Facebook Companies.

While some of this does allow the app to properly function, there’s also concern from some parents about how this data is really being used. Parents should be aware this app today collects a lot of personal information, including names, profile photos, demographic details (gender and birthday), a child’s connection to parents, contacts’ information (like most frequent contacts), app usage information, device attributes and unique identifiers, data from device settings (like time zones or access to camera and photos), network information and information provided from things like bug reports or feedback/contact forms. The redesign introduces new navigation with dedicated “Chat” and “Explore” navigation tabs at the bottom of the screen, allowing for kids to switch between their conversations and the other in-app activities the app provides, like its mini-games.Īnd with a new swipe gesture, kids can start a call from their inbox.įinally, the update introduces a new option to personalize conversations, including both individual and group chats, with a custom chat bubble color. Media and message previews have also been added, allowing kids to more easily see updates for their conversations.

The child’s unread messages, now at the top of the inbox, are in bold with a blue dot next to them to call the eye’s attention. The updated app does away with the larger, colorful blocks that would flash when messages arrive for a more traditional messaging app design where chats are stacked in a vertical list.

The redesign also gives the kid-friendly app a look-and-feel that’s more like Messenger itself. Facebook today is rolling out an updated version of its Messenger Kids app with the goal of making it easier for kids to interact with their friends and family, navigate the app and personalize their experience with features like custom chat bubble colors.

Messenger kids