Facebook Messenger Kids arrives on Amazon Fire tablets

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The parental-controlled chat app hits the US Amazon Appstore

Facebook Messenger Kids screen grab

Facebook Messenger Kids is now available on the US Amazon Appstore for Amazon Fire tablets.

Facebook Messenger Kids is specially designed for children under 13, who are too young to have their own Facebook account. 

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Cool for kids

Parents must download the app to their kid's phone, authenticate the device with their own Facebook account, and set up a profile with the child's full name. Contacts can only be added to the app via Facebook itself, so it's up to parents to decide who their kids can speak to.

If a child wants to speak to one of their classmates, for example, their parents have to link the two Messenger Kids accounts on Facebook itself. The connection has to be mutually agreed before the kids can start talking.

Adult friends and family members can use the regular Facebook Messenger to chat with youngsters on Facebook Messenger Kids, provided the link has been approved by the parents.

Facebook Messenger Kids accounts aren't publicly searchable, and the app doesn't display ads or gather data for advertisers.

A version of the app for Android devices is expected at the end of January.

Via TechCrunch

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Cat Ellis
Cat Ellis
Homes Editor

Cat is TechRadar's Homes Editor, covering smart home tech, kitchen appliances, vacuums, haircare and more. She's been a tech journalist for 15 years, having worked on print magazines including PC Plus and PC Format, and is a Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) certified barista. Whether you want to invest in some smart lights, find your ideal hair styler, or pick the espresso machine of your dreams, she's the right person to help.