Facebook’s is only available for users who are 13 and up because it doesn’t have the appropriate security and privacy settings for kids. So how can kids share content and connect online with their family and friends?
Israeli startup Vikido has launched in beta, what some blogs call the Facebook for parents and their kids. The self proclaimed “social network with training wheels”, enables kids to create and share audio, video and images with their parents, who can then control with whom the kids information is shared whether it is public or private (similar concept to Google+ Circles) as well as what channel is used for sharing, be it other social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Google+ etc) or email.
Vikido consists of a mobile app (iPod, iPad or smartphone) and a web app, which is essentially a browser for kids and parents. Targeting ages 3-12, Vikido was visually designed to work using the most basic skills, so kids who can’t read yet can also enjoy the product features. It hopes to be more than a user generated content site, by aggregating movies, games, recreational and educational activities from sources that were deemed safe for kids, operating on a Freemium model – offering free access to basic content and charging for premium media access. The service was built with an emphasis on safety and privacy, giving parents a controlled environment for their kids activity online, and a view of who is interacting with their kids content.
Vikido was founded by Amit Knaani, previously the product and marketing manager of BabyFirstTv.com and proud mother of two, as well as Yami Glick, a developer and blogger, co-founder of the blog TheCoils (Hebrew). Both active members of the Israeli startup scene, Amit and Yami were fully transparent on the process of creating Vikido, by posting a journal of their progress in the Israeli media, sharing the ups and downs of their startup roller coaster.
Introduction video to Vikido:
I'm a former general partner at google ventures, head of Google for Entrepreneurs in Europe and founding head of Campus London, Google's first physical hub for startups.
I'm also the founder of Techbikers, a non-profit bringing together the startup ecosystem on cycling challenges in support of Room to Read. Since inception in 2012 we've built 11 schools and 50 libraries in the developing world.
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