Facebook’s kid-focused Messenger service launches in over 70 new countries

Fb is launching its Messenger Youngsters app in over 70 new international locations in the present day, the company has announced. A help page on Facebook’s website lists Brazil, India, Japan, and New Zealand among the many international locations the place the kid-focused messaging service is now out there. Fb additionally introduced numerous tweaks it’s making to how the app works.

Fb has taken its time to roll out Messenger Youngsters to new markets since its authentic US launch in 2017 and enlargement into Canada and Peru in 2018. Fb says that it’s launching in additional international locations as youngsters all over the world are having to study remotely whereas faculties stay closed as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

Fb can also be tweaking how youngsters and their mother and father can use the service. Mother and father can now choose in to letting their youngsters management their very own pal requests slightly than having to handle each request on their behalf. Nonetheless, mother and father will nonetheless obtain notifications concerning the Messenger mates their youngsters are making, and may override any connections if they want.

Teams are additionally altering. Mother and father will quickly be capable of approve an grownup — reminiscent of a instructor, coach, or one other guardian — to handle a gaggle chat with their youngsters in it. Lastly, mother and father may also be capable of opt-in to make their children’ names and profile pictures seen to mates of mates within the US, Canada, and Latin America.

Fb’s child-focused service has been controversial up to now. Final 12 months an implementation error allowed youngsters to create group chats with people who their mother and father hadn’t accepted. The oversight generated a congressional backlash, with senators pushing Fb to take a extra proactive method to privateness and safety.

Messenger Youngsters will begin rolling out within the new markets beginning in the present day. In the meantime the brand new pal request and group performance shall be out there within the US beginning in the present day, with a global roll out to observe.