{"id":47654,"date":"2016-02-23T05:00:12","date_gmt":"2016-02-23T13:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=47654"},"modified":"2025-08-27T01:41:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T08:41:11","slug":"kik-messenger-dangerous-app-kids-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/family-safety\/kik-messenger-dangerous-app-kids-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Kik Messenger: The Dangerous App Kids Love"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Police recently arrested a Pennsylvania man who drove to Tennessee to meet and have sex with a minor girl he met via the Kik app. Sadly, this is a digital scenario that is happening more and more with 40% of teens now using the secretive app (according to Kik).<\/p>\n

So why is Kik so popular with teens? There’s a few reasons. 1) Because users are allowed to create anonymous accounts 2) The app does not require users to verify age in any way 3) Parents who monitor texting, email, and networks like Instagram and Twitter usually skip looking for Kik altogether 4) Kik has a built-in web browser, games, and video access, which makes it a self-contained social network that is a fun place to hang out for teens.<\/p>\n

This functionality and appeal also gives predators a virtual library of kids to prey upon. Thier #1 goal: To build digital trust and ultimately get a face-to-face meetup (sex) with a minor.<\/p>\n

The kids running into issues with Kik are not a certain age, race, or income bracket. No one is exempt\u00a0from the manipulative schemes of a predator. Predators are shrewd, conniving, mentally unbalanced people who spend hours and months searching out and \u201cgrooming\u201d <\/a>kids online. Their goal is to get a child to post sexual photos or to meet them in person to exploit them or hurt them. It\u2019s what they do.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

So how do you fight back against these unseen predators online? Lectures and instilling fear won\u2019t go far in equipping your kids \u2014 especially since most tweens and teens will tell you over and over that they can spot a manipulator online (“Duh, mom, like I’d talk to a creepy perv online! Geeze, I’m not an idiot . . .”<\/em>) Your job is to ignore your kid’s eye rolling and snark\u00a0and press in with intentional parenting. Your job is also to be consistent and build up your child’s radar and digital street smarts, in spite of<\/em> the eye rolling.<\/p>\n

Be straight with your kids. <\/strong>Don’t sugar coat reality. Share news stories with them \u2014 even the uncomfortable details. Teach them about the tricks predators use and encourage them to be on the lookout for strangers who appear \u201ctoo\u201d friendly or too empathetic. Warn them that predators often are up on the latest movies, music, and trends in order to pose younger and interest kids in conversation. Predators will almost always say they are younger than they really are and use fake photos they know will appeal to a younger user.<\/p>\n

Teach your kids that predators will often seduce their targets with compliments, kindness, and even gifts, which can encourage a child to let down their guard and be wooed into sexual advances. Remind them (a few hundred times) to never, ever meet a stranger in person.<\/p>\n

Tips for parents:<\/strong><\/h2>\n