Messenger for Kids to get more parental control

Facebook is testing new friending modes to give parents more control of who their children interact with on Messenger for Kids.

Efforts are being made by Facebook to ensure peace of mind to parents as their kids interact with people on the platform. One of the most recent attempts in the process is the Messenger for Kids prototype where Facebook is testing ways to give more flexibility to parents while managing their child's Messenger Kids account.

Currently being tested and perfected are two modes catered to kids of different age groups. These include Younger Mode where parents will be able to approve and decline all contact requests for their kids and Older Mode where kids can add or remove contacts, which the parents could override.

The update, which was first noticed by reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong, has been confirmed by Facebook's EMEA Communications Manager, Alexandru Voica.

"We know parents want flexibility in how they manage their child’s Messenger Kids account. We are exploring an option where parents can opt-in to allow kids to accept and reject friend requests as well as remove contacts," Voica said on Twitter.

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Parents will remain in control of the contact list, have full visibility into any actions their child takes and can turn the option off at any time, he adds.

While these steps reflect well on the platform that's taking technical decisions to facilitate safe internet usage for kids, it is important for parents to use these instances to sensitize their kids about the perils instead of exercising the option against their will. Conversations are indeed the most important ingredient in the process.