{"id":25052,"date":"2013-06-06T11:23:16","date_gmt":"2013-06-06T18:23:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=25052"},"modified":"2025-08-27T23:29:42","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T06:29:42","slug":"parents-need-to-know-about-kik","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/family-safety\/parents-need-to-know-about-kik\/","title":{"rendered":"What Parents Need to Know About KIK Messenger App"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We write a lot about new apps on this blog because apps are hot in the very mobile teen world. Kids use apps to stay connected to the outside world and that\u2019s where you as a parent need to be looking when it comes to threats to their personal safety.<\/p>\n

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This week we\u2019re looking at Kik, a free mobile messenger app that allows kids to text friends who are also using the app. Teens like Kik because it allows them to do more than just type written messages. Kik makes it easy to add video and pictures to a text.<\/p>\n

Basically, Kik is just fun and that\u2019s what kids are looking for\u2014fun, cool ways to ensure they stay in the peer conversation.<\/p>\n

The potential threats to safety arise when kids begin to take their privacy casually and share their private Kik username on public social network like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pheed, or\u00a0Tumblr.\u00a0And, like all the other social networks, once someone knows your child\u2019s username, anyone can send them a message.<\/p>\n

Family Game Plan<\/h2>\n

So if you see the Kik icon on your kid\u2019s phone (pictured on right), remind them your Family Game Plan when it comes to Internet use.<\/p>\n

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