What Is Facebook Messenger?
Facebook Messenger is an app and feature within Facebook’s web version. It is the direct messaging app/service offered on one’s Facebook account. The app version allows people to access their messages from an Android, iOS, or Windows device to quickly message contacts on the social media platform.
Facebook is used by billions of people across the globe, and many Facebook account holders use its Messenger app to chat with friends and family. Facebook also has a Facebook Messenger Kids app of the messaging service that optimizes its settings for use by children.
Facebook Messenger Parental Controls
There are many children that are using Facebook Messenger to chat with their friends and family. It’s important for parents to be aware of the parental control features that are available from Facebook. These parental controls allow parents to manage their child’s messaging and see who they are chatting with, block or report accounts, manage group chats, and photo and video settings.
Setting Up Facebook Messenger Kids Parental Controls
To begin setting up the parental control restrictions on the Facebook app, go to the Parent Dashboard within the Facebook app. Each child’s Messenger Kids account is managed through the parent’s account, so they can manage and control the restrictions on the child’s profile.
If the parent is setting up Screen Time for the first time, when they login to their child’s device, they can choose Use Screen Time Passcode to set up a passcode for the device. That way, their restriction settings cannot be changed unless you know the passcode.
Adding and Removing Contacts
To edit the contacts for a child on Facebook Messenger Kids, go to the Facebook app and tap the three bars icon. Go to Facebook Messenger Kids and select their account. Now select Contacts and choose People. Here, the parent can select contacts for the child. To later remove them, go back to Contacts, tap the person to remove, and select Remove.
Adding A Child To A Group Chat
In certain situations, a parent’s teacher may be using Facebook Messenger Kids to communicate with the kids in their class since it is such a kid-friendly messenger service. Parents can give an adult permission to add their child to a group chat by approving the request to add them. This can be set to end at a certain time when the parent approves the request.
The adult will send a link to the parent’s Facebook account requesting permission to become a contact of the child. There is an approved contact list that the parent can edit, and these contacts will be able to add the child to a group chat.
Monitor Images
The parent can also monitor any images that the child sends and receives via the Facebook Messenger Kids app. Tap Messenger Kids in the settings menu of the Facebook app and go to the Child’s profile. Now tap Activity. The parent can see the images in the child’s messages by selecting Images in Chats. To remove an image, go to the Activity feed, tap the image, and select the icon in the upper-right corner. Now select Remove Image.
Block A Contact
If there is a contact that the child wants to stop being messaged by, they can block the user’s Facebook account. Open Facebook Messenger Kids, go to the person to block, and select the settings icon. Now select Block.
Keeping Kids Safe With Facebook Messenger Kids
Parents can utilize the features of the Facebook app and Facebook Messenger Kids to help give their children a safe direct messaging platform that they can easily manage from their own Facebook account. Facebook was designed to help college students communicate, and now it’s been optimized to allow for messaging between kids.