Chatting with strangers from around the world without disclosing your identity, sound like a great idea, isn’t it? Well, that’s what Kik, a chat-based social media platform is known for. Here you can find strangers with just a tap of a button and make new friends online. Also, it has a feature that allows you to search for people by age and interest so you can find like-minded people to talk to.
But just like everything in life, there are two sides of Kik as well, the good side and the bad side. We have talked about its advantages and now let’s have a look at the hidden dangers of Kik that everyone should be aware of especially if you are a parent.
Table Of Contents
Dangers Of Kik App
1) It Promotes Cheating
According to a UK-based marriage and dating website illicitencounters.com, out of 2000 cheaters, 28% of them use Kik followed by Snapchat (23%). The reason why Kik is so famous among cheaters is that it provides them anonymity like no other messaging app. Here they can talk to anyone without ever getting caught.
If you find this app installed on your spouse’s device then you need to monitor their Kik activities. I say this because having Kik installed on their phone is a subtle sign that your partner may be cheating on you.
2) Scammer’s Den
The biggest danger of Tinder, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms like it is that a lot of scams happen on it. But what makes Kik the favorite app of scammers is that it is easy to create an account on it without any verification. Anyone can signup to Kik with just an Email ID without providing your phone number for verification.
Also, due to the anonymous user profile of Kik, scammers are hard to track. Therefore they run multiple types of scams on Kik without any fear of the law.
3) Predators Waiting To Groom Your Children
The other danger of the Kik app is that it’s almost like a default app for predators looking to groom and sexually assault your innocent kids. The app has almost half of its userbase filled with teenagers. This makes it an ideal app for pedophiles to find their new target. Also since there is a feature of searching users by age, predators search minors and sometimes act as a minor themselves to gain their trust.
Once they make friends with your kid, they may tell them to meet in person or sexually assault them online. Due to this reason, Kik is considered a very unsafe app for kids.
4) No User Verification
While creating a Kik account you don’t have to verify your phone number or age, you just need an email ID and you are good to go. This rule of Kik has allowed lots of anti-social elements to be on their platform and bother others on it. Moreover, you can not entirely block someone on it because they can easily create a new account and start troubling you again.
5) Illegal Drug Trade
There are various groups created on Kik that are used to sell drugs. Therefore, Kik is a dangerous app for teenagers as they can easily come in contact with a drug dealer here. People prefer buying drugs from Kik because it is much easier to do so when compared to buying it from the dark web. If you are a parent who wants the safety of their child then you should not allow them to have a Kik account. Even if they have one you should delete it with immediate effect.
6) Child Pornography
Browsing or having possession of child pornography is an offense but on Kik, it is readily available. Apart from text, Kik can also be used to send images and videos. Sex offenders use this platform to share child porn videos with others on it because they know it is hard to monitor them on the Kik app.
How To Tackle Hidden Dangers Of Kik?
Kik is very popular among teenagers, youth, and millennials due to the fact that it allows you to share your thoughts without revealing your identity. However, no one can deny that there are lots of hidden dangers associated with Kik that make it a dangerous app to use especially by minors. So the first thing you could do to keep your family and yourself safe from the dark side of Kik is to not use it in the first place. Even higher law officials have urged parents to remove this app from their kid’s phones. You can look for Kik alternatives with better security protocols.
Apart from that, you can educate your children about what to share and what not to share on online platforms. By this, you can prepare your child for the dangers of Instagram, Facebook, and all such social media apps like Kik. With smart usage, you can make good use of Kik and safeguard your privacy and security on this app.
Is Kik Safe? Final Verdict
To conclude I’d like to say that Kik has its pros and cons. You should take the decision of whether you want to use this app or not. In my honest opinion, you should look for some other safer alternatives to Kik. If you still want to use Kik for its anonymity feature then you can use it. But be more careful as there are scammers and predators everywhere on it. On the other hand, if you are a minor then you should not use it at any cost. It’s not safe for you at all.
FAQs
Can You Be Anonymous On Kik?
Yes, you can be anonymous on Kik, it's the main feature of the Kik app.
Can Kik Chats Be Tracked Once Deleted?
No, Kik chats can't be tracked once they are deleted.
Is Kik Used For Scams?
Yes, there are lots of scammers on Kik that scam people on it on daily basis.
