What you need to know
- Facebook's Messenger Kids app is now live in more than 70 new countries.
- Facebook is also introducing new features aimed at helping parents connect kids with their friends.
- The app was launched in 2017 and was initially available only in the U.S.
Facebook is rolling out its Messenger Kids app (opens in new tab) in more than 70 new countries today, including Brazil, India, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore. Along with expanding the availability of the app to more countries, Facebook has also introduced new options that will help parents connect their children with other kids.
With Supervised Friending, parents can now choose to let their kids accept or reject new contact requests. However, parents will still be able to override contact approvals by heading over to the Parent Dashboard in the Messenger Kids app. Facebook says the new Supervised Friending feature will start rolling out in the U.S. today and will gradually become available in other countries as well.
The second new feature lets parents approve teachers, coaches, and other leaders to connect their children with other kids through a group in Messenger Kids. Parents will still be notified whenever new contacts are added for their child by approved adults. Just like Supervised Friending, this feature too will be available in the U.S. starting today.
Facebook is also making it easier for kids to find new friends. Parents can now choose to make their kid's profile visible to friends of their kid's contacts and their parents in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. In other countries, this feature is slated to begin rolling out in the coming weeks.
