Strictly speaking, Facebook is off limits for everyone under 13, but given the fact that prevention methods are trivial, this basically means that some 20 million under-13-year-olds are currently thought to be using the network. In order to make that into a new market, Facebook now launches an app, especially for those users.
So as from today, with a privacy-focused app designed to neutralize child predator threats that plague youth-focused competitors like Snapchat, “Messenger Kids” lets parents download the app on their child’s phone or tablet, create a profile for them and then approve friends and family with whom they can text and video chat from the main Messenger app.
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Facebook’s Head of Messenger, Mr. David Marcus, stated: “When you think about things at a scale that we do to get people to care more about Messenger, this is one that addresses a real need for parents.”
“But the side effect will be that they use Messenger more and create family groups.”
Mr. Marcus is mostly excited about the new built-in features for Facebook Messenger for kids, all creative tools, from fidget spinner and dinosaur AR masks to crayon-style stickers. “Video calls become so much more playful with AR.”
“Sometimes after 5 or 10 minutes, it’s really hard to have a sustained conversation with a 7-year-old. but kids can joke around with Grampa using the selfie filters when they run out of run-on stories to tell them.”
Lastly, Facebook says this is a novel and good way to keep your memories stored as from a very early age on.
“When I was in my mid-twenties, you never think you’re going to be gone, ever,” 33-year-old Marcus admitted.
“Zuckerberg has been thinking a lot about the future he wants to leave behind for his kids.”
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save your children!!!