Messenger Kids has been dogged by controversy since its launch, and its expansion into Europe is likely to raise concerns that the service could be misused. Last week it expanded this to more than 70 countries, although none are governed by GDPR. The company first launched Messenger Kids in the US in 2017. The DPC is Facebook’s chief data watchdog in Europe, overseeing how the company handles the data for users including in the UK. Messenger Kids, meanwhile, is designed for users as young as six, allowing them to talk to contacts that are approved by their parents.įacebook is currently assessing how Messenger Kids would comply with GDPR, the strict European data law that came into force two years ago, and which require parental consent if companies want to process data for children under 13.Ī spokesperson for the DPC said: “We have been engaged and will continue to engage with Facebook in relation to Facebook Messenger Kids coming into the EU.” The social network is in discussions with Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), its chief European regulator, about releasing Messenger Kids, an app that allows children to message parents and friends.Ĭhildren aged 12 and under are blocked from using Facebook due to laws that prevent the processing of personal data in many countries. Facebook is being held up in its attempts to launch a messaging app for children in the UK and Europe as it grapples with laws designed to protect the privacy of under-13s.
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