Kiddle, the Google for Kids, is Safe for Kids? Think Again.
The first time I ever heard about ‘Kiddle.co’, was when I received quite a few Whatsapp messages saying something like this:
Now Mr. Google has a kid called ‘www.kiddle.co’ – search engine specifically for kids! So kids now can browse safely, without spams nor adult contents. Make this your homepage if you have a child who likes to browse. Good one Google!
..
Great news for families?
Umm, not quite.
Unfortunately the above ‘broadcast’ has 3 questionable (read: wrong) ‘facts’.
1. Search Engine for kids BY GOOGLE?
Kiddle.co is in fact NOT associated with Google. It uses Google safe search technology to ‘filter’ contents, but it is NOT run by Google.
2. Kids can now browse safely without coming across adult contents?
Umm. Wrong.
The fact is, yes it is ‘SAFER’ search engine for kids compared to using Google.
You can check it out yourself when you go to kiddle.co and click their ‘Kids Safe Search’ link at the very bottom of the page.
This is what it says on the page.
Easily from the above, we can see how each search will ‘typically results in 1-3’ articles that are ‘handpicked and checked by Kiddle editors’.
How about the remaining search results?
As stated on Kiddle.co, they’re NOT written for kids.
(So you can imagine, only 1-3 ‘safe web pages written for kids’ out of all other search results?)
3. ‘Make this your homepage if your child likes to browse’
I don’t know about you, but I’m not comfortable with the statement on so many levels.
First, I feel it should be a concern if our child ‘likes to browse’.
If our child is below 13 and ‘likes to browse’ way before the existence of kiddle.co, then there are 2 sure facts:
1. If a child ‘likes to browse’, it means the child very most likely browses the internet ‘on their own’ (and most likely knows how to hop from one site to hundred others)
2. The child has seen all sorts of images and search results that are NOT meant for their age
…
Now, here’s my question:
If these children like to browse and they’re already familiar with the internet, THEN would he/she realistically want to use kiddle.co as their search engine?
I don’t believe so.
(I know I would resist the idea, if I were that child)
To me, it’s like:
If our child is able to ride a 2-wheeled bike and allowed to go to the nearby playground on their own, would they want to ride a 4-wheeled bike that we give to them because we think it is a safer choice for them?
I mean, if I were that child, I would think :
If you have allowed me to browse the internet freely before, why should I now be ‘reduced’ (downgraded) to using this ‘kiddish’ internet search anyway?
…
So why is Kiddle.co labeled as a ‘Kids Safe Search Engine’?
I guess it’s because it filters out obvious adult sites.
It uses Google safe search technology which does not give search results to ‘obvious’ keywords, like: ‘s*x’, ‘genit*ls’, ‘interco*rse’ or ‘p*rn’
If we enter such keywords, we get a message like this:
BUT.
If keywords like ‘women men relationship’ are used (I tested this out myself a few weeks ago when kiddle.co started to get known), search results below will appear (and it takes you to articles with topics like ”Is once a week s*x enough’, etc).
No. Not kid friendly.
So what’s my say on this?
– Yes, Kiddle.co is a safer search engine, but it is not 100% safe for kids. Actually to me, it’s not even 60% safe for kids.
– Browsing the internet should still be done for the child (eg. When the child is doing school projects and researches need to be done). Once parents have found the articles needed for the projects, then the child can refer to the page and do his/her work.
– Limit our children’s exposure to the internet (from their smartphones, iPads, computers, etc).
– Avoid letting children browse the internet on their own. Worse, in places where we can’t see what they’re browsing.
– The internet world has unimaginable amount of junk that is totally capable of corrupting the minds and hearts of young children. It can never be 100% filtered.
– Parents should really be aware of the LIE:
The internet world is harmless because it doesn’t harm the child ‘physically’.
It’s a terrible lie because, what our children see and hear are so capable of destructing and corrupting their minds and hearts. And we all know how what we have seen and heard (especially bad ones) is well recorded, ie. Can’t be erased from our mind.
– Parents should really put in the effort to be loving parents for their kids, and not be the kids’ police.
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Let us build relationships since day 1 that are based on open communication, love, trust and respect.
Let us share with them the dangers of the virtual world with a genuine concern for our children’s well being. Based on our love for them, not based on distrust nor disrespect.
It’s not easy and it sure needs lots of our time, energy, repetition, and self denial.
I admit, I occasionally feel drained and exhausted, mentally and emotionally, as I teach, train, instill values, and educate my kids everyday.
Parenting IS hard.
But, I must say, the hard work is worth it.
May God have mercy on us, protect our children from harm (physically, emotionally and virtually) and give us the strength and wisdom to be the kind of parents HE wants us to be.
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Agree ci, ngga 100% kids friendly. Tp bbrp kali saya mencoba sendiri keywords yg dibahas di bbrp artikel kok menampilkan yg berbeda ya? termasuk yg cici tulis “women men relationship”.. hasil tampilan yg saya dapat berbeda dgn yg dicapture cici di artikel ini.. hasil tampilan saya tdk sevulgar itu. Jd bingung jg 🙁
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