Facebook’s Messenger Kids app gets a sleep mode; Plus, parental control updates for YouTube Kids

Just this week, the most widely used social media platform in the face of the planet has decided to reveal a new sleep mode for its Messenger Kids app. Basically what the feature does is allow moms and dads to set restrictions for when their child can and can’t use the app (especially when it is time for bed). 

It was back in December of last year when Facebook had first unveiled its Messenger Kids mobile app. Like what its name suggests, the app is essentially a stand alone kiddie version of the social media giant’s super popular Messenger service. In other words, this version is geared for users who are not older than 12 years old. 

Messenger Kids does not come with any ads nor support for in-app purchases. Amid some criticism, Facebook has long maintained that the kid friendly service was designed to comply with Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the legislation that was passed in order to protection for kids accessing the information superhighway, which means that Messenger Kids will not be using any kids’ data for target advertising.

Going back to the new sleep mode, it should help parents set up usage limits for their children using the Messenger Kids app. They can just head to their own Facebook settings and set time restrictions (like no access during dinner or during homework), as well as reactivation schedules (access is restored in the morning). As for kid users, they should be able to spot a bar located at the top section of the screen, displaying a countdown (so that they would know when it is time to wrap up chat convos with friends).

As pointed out by Tarunya Govindarajan, the product manager for Messenger Kids at Facebook, the new sleep mode should not only help parents better manage their children’s mobile device usage, but also as a catalyst for concerned moms and dads to discuss with their kids the impact of too much exposure to today’s digital technology.

Meanwhile, YouTube is also doing its part in helping parents have better control of how much YouTube time their kids are having. As a matter of fact, the most popular source of online videos has decided to integrate more strict parental controls into its YouTube Kids service. 

Some of these parental controls include curated video clip collections that are kid friendly, content approved by parents, and an enhanced capabilities for deactivating the search functionality within the YouTube Kids app. For more information about the new options, it would be wise to go visit YouTube’s official blog.