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Too much technology in the hands of young kids that just don't understand the dangers. It's now almost always found to be used by pedophiles and child abusers in order to virtually approach, converse, and then god knows what else comes after.
The app Kik (among many others) is the most popular choice for predators attempting to groom and lure underage kids according to US law enforcement. The problem is many parents aren't even aware their children are using it. Instead of using your phone number to text, kids can now anonymously talk to any other anonymous individual that decides to answer back. Like any other app, it simply asks for a username and password. It doesn't rely on real identities, or have any limits to who can contact you.
One of the unlimited examples of how lax the privacy is could be the case of Zachary Vincent Myers. Now this very special slice of slime contacted a 14 year old through the anonymous messaging app posing as a 16 year old. Once he got her cell phone, he completely manipulated her and eventually attacked. There was even a case of a police officer that got caught in a sting trying to solicit sex from an underage girl through the app.
The cases are never ending, and the challenges for the law are parallel. The problems with kik is what makes the app so popular with young kids. The lack of contact approval, and ability to message anyone directly makes it easy to use. The unlimited messaging and phone call ability allows kids to chat endlessly without racking up the phone bill. No need to provide a phone number, social media link, or any other identity verification is what makes it a perfect playground for predators. The goal of law enforcement is to highlight this information for parents, but it's an uphill battle. Kik has committed $10 million to improve safety, and have even hired a safety advisory board to assist. The problem is, if the app becomes inconvenient, consumers will go to the next new thing.
Sometimes it seems improved technology can sometimes create more problems than solutions.