Kik

Exploring apps, sites and games together is a great way to involve your child in the decision-making process.

Be positive about what you see, but also be open about your concerns. Ask them what they think is appropriate and what worries them.

If you decide it’s not appropriate, then make sure you explain your reasons why (and be prepared for an unhappy child).

You might decide it’s ok for your child to use. If so, make sure you follow the tips below to ensure it’s as safe as possible. And work out a time when you’ll next discuss the app.

Help your child think about what they share online and who sees it. Compare it to what they would be happy to share offline.

You might want to start by asking:

• What kinds of things do you share online?
• Should we share everything?
• What shouldn’t we share?

Use examples that are easy for them to understand: “You wouldn’t give your number to a stranger on the street. Is a stranger online any different?”

Listen to their answers. And be positive and encouraging.

Remind them that they shouldn’t share private things, such as:

• personal information, like emails, names, phone numbers, school names
• photos of themselves with strangers
• photos of their body
• gossip

Explain that you understand the internet is a great place to play, create, learn and connect. But remind them they can talk to you if anything upsets or worries them.

Reassure them that you won’t overreact – you’re just looking out for them.

And if they feel like they can’t speak to you, tell them to talk to an adult they trust, like a teacher or Childline.

It’s important to check the privacy settings on your child’s Kik account.

We recommend only sharing things with friends and always keeping your location private.

You can visit Kik for specific information on keeping your account private.

There’s a feature on Kik called Meet New People that lets you start a conversation with either a random stranger or someone with similar interests to you.

You won’t see the other person’s username but you can share usernames and add each other if you choose to.

Make sure you talk to your child about who they should be talking to and what information they should be giving out.

Kik has advice and information on how to keep your child safe on the app, which we recommend reading and talking about together.

Your child might receive upsetting or negative things from other users on Kik. If this happens, they might want to report or block them.

Kik has specific guidance on how to report other users and how to block someone.

And remember to let your child know that they can always talk to you about worrying things they see online.