Facebook expands "Messenger Kids" to 70 countries

The app was developed with various child safety and development experts in order to allow for children to communicate online responsibly, while providing parental supervision.

By OMRI RON
Facebook symbol (photo credit: REUTERS)
Facebook symbol
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Facebook has announced that it will be expanding the Messenger Kids app to 70 countries, besides the United States, and that it will be adding new features.
The app was developed with various child safety and development experts, as to allow for children to communicate online responsibly, while providing parental supervision.
These features include what is called  'Supervised Friending': While up until this point it was up to the parents to approve every new contact, with his new feature,  they will now have the choice of how much independence their child will have when approving new contacts while still maintaining supervision with a dedicated "Parental Dashboard". Parents will also be able to approve another adult, such as a teacher or a sports coach to connect between kids of the same class.
Facebook has also removed a group group which was spreading false information regarding the new 5G networks, on the basis that the telecommunication network helps spread the coronavirus. This is in line with Facebook's policy since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, wherein they work with official health agencies, including World Health Organization and the Israeli Health Ministry to provide official information on the subject.
In light of the upcoming US election, Facebook has also decided to increase transparency in regards to those putting up posts, including the geographical location of account owners of those from outside the US who have more than 30,000 American followers, as a part of the effort to increase transparency with policies enacted in 2018.
Similarly, Facebook significantly upped the ante on Friday in its blockbuster US lawsuit against NSO Group for allegedly hacking around 1,400 of its WhatsApp user accounts, giving detailed proof of NSO acting within the US for the first time.
To date, NSO has denied the allegations and denied that it operates in the US in any fashion.