iOS 6.1.3 and iOS 7 Feature New Version of Snapchat Just For Kids: Is It Safe?

Popular photo-sharing app, Snapchat, released a version for kids in its iOS update over the weekend.

Snapchat revealed the new version in a blog post, stating that the new iOS will allow kids under the age of 13 to fill out the registration form.

Unlike the original Snapchat application, "Snapkidz" will not send the user information and an account won't actually be created. The app still allows for exchanging photos, captions, and drawing them, but it will not allow users to send or receive snaps, or add friends. Children under thirteen can only save them to their device. The app offers the Snapchat fun without the connection to other people. Snapchat explained their rationale on The Next Web , stating: "The previous iOS update introduced age-gating, in which we asked people their age on the registration screen and didn't allow them to proceed if the age entered was under 13. This was a pretty standard way of handling things, but it didn't provide a very good experience."

The app had previously urged that the user be over 13 years old, but the automatically-deleting messages and fun captioning proved to be popular amongst teenagers and young adults.

According to Mashable , the move comes as Snapchat looks to raise a new round of funding. By introducing a kid-friendly version for young users, Snapchat may be able to boost its user numbers and clean up its image.

Snapchat has come under recent scrutiny for being a "nudie-only" application, enabling users to send naked photographs of themselves for automatic delete. Unfortunately, websites such as "Snapchat Leaked" surfaced, where users have screenshotted received nude photos and submitted them on the internet.

There is no way to stop Snapchat messages from being screenshotted, so naked photos may be captured and surface on the internet. Rumors have also surfaced that digital digging may yield lost photo messages.

Snapchat is becoming one of the most popular publishers in the app store, according to a recent ranking from App Annie . It is exclusively offered to iOS users, however. Snapchat recently raised an $80 million Series B at an $800 million pre-money valuation.

REFERENCE:http://www.designntrend.com/articles/5220/20130624/ios-6-1-3-7-feature-new-version-snapchat-kids.htm

Jumari Tupan BS Info Tech 2-b

Judywen A. Guapin BS Info Tech 2-b

Carlo Amora BS Info Tech 2-b