Social platform · Medium risk
Is Kik safe for your child?
Age guide
Teen 13+
We advise Kik from age 13 and up. Overall risk 6/10 (medium risk).
- 5-8
- Kik is not suitable for this age group due to its open communication features and the presence of adult content and strangers.
- 9-12
- Kik is not suitable for this age group; its design allows for easy connection with unknown users and lacks robust parental controls, making it unsafe.
- 13-15
- Teenagers in this age group may encounter 'Public Groups' on Kik where unmoderated content and conversations can occur, including explicit material and predatory behavior.
- 16+
- Older teens using Kik might engage in 'Kik Live' streams, which often feature adult content and direct interaction with strangers, or join private groups with minimal oversight.
Kik is a messaging app that allows users to communicate through text, images, and videos. It is particularly popular among teens due to its anonymity features, which allow users to chat without needing to share personal information like phone numbers. However, this anonymity can lead to risks such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and contact with strangers. The platform’s lack of robust moderation makes it essential for parents to stay informed about their child's interactions on Kik.
- Age guide
- Teen 13+
- Overall risk
- 6/10
- Violence
- 2/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 6/10
- Stranger contact
- 8/10
- Addiction risk
- 7/10
- Language
- 4/10
- Influence
- 6/10
What parents should know
Kik is a messaging app with minimal moderation and features that facilitate anonymous communication and easy connection with strangers, including Public Groups and live streaming. Its design makes it a high-risk platform for children and teenagers due to potential exposure to inappropriate content and predatory individuals.
What to do about Kik
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for Kik is Teen 13+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact Kik setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about Kik without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in Kik that mean it is time to step in.
Kik age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is Kik?
Parentwise puts Kik at Teen 13+. We advise Kik from age 13 and up. Overall risk 6/10 (medium risk). Violence scores 2/10, language 4/10, stranger contact 8/10 and addiction risk 7/10.
Can a 10 year old use Kik?
Not by default: we advise Kik from 13+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Kik is not suitable for this age group; its design allows for easy connection with unknown users and lacks robust parental controls, making it unsafe.
Can a 12 year old use Kik?
Not by default: we advise Kik from 13+, so at 12 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Kik is not suitable for this age group; its design allows for easy connection with unknown users and lacks robust parental controls, making it unsafe.
Can a 13 year old use Kik?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for Kik (13+). Teenagers in this age group may encounter 'Public Groups' on Kik where unmoderated content and conversations can occur, including explicit material and predatory behavior.
Is Kik appropriate for kids?
Kik is a messaging app with minimal moderation and features that facilitate anonymous communication and easy connection with strangers, including Public Groups and live streaming. Parentwise rates Kik overall as medium risk (6/10), with stranger contact at 8/10 and addiction risk at 7/10.
Is Kik family friendly?
Kik sits in the middle: fine with settings changed and an occasional check-in. Its design makes it a high-risk platform for children and teenagers due to potential exposure to inappropriate content and predatory individuals.
Kik parents guide: what should a parent know first?
Kik is a messaging app with minimal moderation and features that facilitate anonymous communication and easy connection with strangers, including Public Groups and live streaming. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (8/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (7/10).
Is Kik safe for kids?
We advise Kik from age 13 and up. Overall risk 6/10 (medium risk). Its design makes it a high-risk platform for children and teenagers due to potential exposure to inappropriate content and predatory individuals.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.