Talk:Kik Messenger/Archive 1

License?
Info about the software license is missing. In the first sentene it says "free", but I think this refers to "gratis" rather than Free Software? --80.130.144.137 (talk) 15:56, 28 November 2012 (UTC)
 * The |kik website says ...(b) you shall not modify, translate, adapt, merge, make derivative works of, disassemble, decompile, reverse compile or reverse engineer any part of the Site or Kik Messenger, except to the extent the foregoing restrictions are expressly prohibited by applicable law - yeah that is definitely in no way, shape or form free; the user is outright put in chains with respect to enhancing the program! Objection noted - sentence corrected to "at no cost". Zaphraud (talk) 00:18, 22 February 2013 (UTC)

While I do love Free Software, lets remember that the word "free" doesn't originate with the Free Software movement. ;) 2001:470:1F04:3DF:0:0:0:2 (talk) 21:13, 31 March 2013 (UTC)

Neutrality and Controversy
Overall tone sounds like press release/ad copy. Dispute neutrality? Also, given some reports of some stuff (http://newjersey.news12.com/news/newark-teens-receive-pornographic-texts-through-messaging-app-called-kik-1.5188025?firstfree=yes), does this article merit a "controversy" section?

Non-Neutrality
Introductory paragraph sounds like an advertisement, "at no cost", "fast", among other things. I'm not sure how to make it sound more neutral, any help? ArturGhostmancer (talk) 05:14, 3 December 2013 (UTC)
 * I'm not a non-neutral source (I am, technically, a competitor's CEO.) but I get annoyed by advertising-like content, so I've made an edit primarily to remove some content for WP:NEUTRAL. Nuke (talk) 07:15, 10 February 2014 (UTC)
 * To be honest, I think it still sounds like an advertisement, maybe not put so many advantages, or maybe put in some cons to kinda cancel it out? Just a suggestion. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.95.222.227 (talk) 04:20, 11 April 2014 (UTC)

Can someone please deal with the neutrality of this page, it's been written deliberately to make the app sounds like a pedophiles paradise when in reality this is used by hundreds of millions of normal people. This has quite clearly been edited by competitors of the app to try and make the app sound sinister and alarming --Dogsdantra (talk) 17:11, 9 March 2020 (UTC)

request edit
Controversy hasn't been added, and it is seemingly not allowed to be added. The article is written exactly like an advertisement and is now locked because someone deleted 4 words...

I do believe this is either paid editing or company sabotage.

There is clear information that police have issued warnings on using Kik, pedophiles use Kik, terrorists use Kik, etc...

Isn't controversy?

Interesting... 137.147.66.38 (talk) 16:02, 30 July 2014 (UTC)
 * There is a small controversy section. I removed a lot of fluff. While I did not add new material to the controversy section, it now comprises a larger proportion of the total.


 * I don't know enough about the details to know whether the WP:WEIGHT is exactly right, but I've improved it, I believe.


 * I'm going to mark this as addressed, but feel free to comment if more edits are needed.-- S Philbrick (Talk)  21:24, 8 August 2014 (UTC)QMpÌÌṚ

Request expansion of the controversy section
The current controversy section isn't encyclopedic, in the sense that it's only showing the viewer a small fraction of the overall information. I have tried for many months to expand this section, but it has always resulted in some form of bickering with other users. I was hoping someone may be able to expand it. Although a recent edit did remove a lot of fluff, it didn't expand on a controversy section. I have included links that prove there is indeed controversy:

http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/nbc33/news/Police-Issue-Warning-About-Child-Predators-Using-Kik-App-220665461.html

https://news.siteintelgroup.com/Social-Network-Jihad/british-jihadis-in-syria-use-kik-messenger-for-recruitment-transport-of-foreign-fighters.html

http://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/12/02/kik-social-media-platform-draws-police-warning

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/526633/20131202/kik-app-social-media.htm#.U9iHbPmSzVB

http://fox17online.com/2014/01/14/new-social-media-apps-pose-predator-dangers/#axzz2xFKS5Uqz

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-23315397

http://www.smh.com.au/national/police-warning-on-social-media-messaging-app-kik-20131130-2yimo.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/common-sense-media/11-sites-and-apps-kids-are-heading-to-after-facebook_b_3991614.html

http://www.wlox.com/story/24146731/live-5-investigates-predators-using-kik-messenger-to-lure-kids

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20121004/NEWS07/710049951

http://ktla.com/2014/01/16/child-predator-may-have-100-victims-using-social-media/

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765634022/Wake-up-and-smell-the-sexting-parents.html?pg=all

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-23315397

http://adland.tv/adnews/kik-messenger-app-now-overrun-porn-spammers/82322445

http://globalnews.ca/news/1135647/students-parents-warned-about-explicit-spam-messages-on-kik-messenger/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/albertans-complain-kik-messenger-spam-bot-sending-sexual-messages-1.2561695

http://www.trentonian.com/general-news/20140728/pedophile-on-kik-app-its-well-known-in-our-industry

http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/2013/10/29/man-accused-of-raping-teen-he-met-through-kik-app-/14834790/

http://wavy.com/2014/10/16/va-beach-man-admits-to-producing-child-porn/

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/police-hunt-for-man-who-suspected-for-trying-to-groom-eightyearold-girl-online/story-fngr8hax-1227100068105?nk=25e4e07689a7e239f2d574b29e41adcf

Discussion

 * Hi. Thanks for using Request Edit, however this tool is for request specific edits (there is no method of just getting an editor to write the page for you). However I have added the article to my watchlist to keep an eye on any overtly bias edits and you are also welcome to attempt to put together a neutral and well-sourced draft and sharing it here on the Talk page. CorporateM (Talk) 05:43, 30 October 2014 (UTC)

Controversy
This was the original controversy section. I have read through NPOV and fail to see how it could be improved. Any contribution would be appreciated. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kik_Messenger&oldid=603136363

Law enforcement agencies in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom have cautioned parents that using Kik Messenger risks exposing children to nefarious materials, usually forcing minors to partake in “sexting”, a form of child sexual abuse.[14] [15] [16] [17] [18] In Australia, the Victoria Police have warned that pedophiles are using Kik to request sexually explicit images from children, and in some cases are then using those pictures to try and coerce them into performing sexual acts. [19] New South Wales Police have described it as "the number one social media problem involving teenagers", which most parents are unaware of. [20] Cyber Safety expert Ross Bark said Kik and Instagram are a dangerous combination for teenagers, who post photographs publicly on Instagram and then invite viewers to Kik privately to chat.[21] The danger is that apps or websites allow communication with strangers, who share their Kik usernames publicly,[22] and the conversations and images can't be viewed publicly, which makes it much harder for parents to monitor Kik, as opposed to Facebook or Twitter. Police are concerned that drug dealers and pedophiles “trawl” Kik, taking advantage of that hidden communication.[23]

There are cases where people have used Kik Messenger to commit serious crimes, such as sexual assault, by luring victims to various locations. In the U.S. an Irving man, Jesus Adalid Madrid-Dubon, 27, raped a woman who he met through Kik Messenger, Madrid-Dubon was found to be involved in a series of similar cases. In 2013, a Dallas teenager was abducted, the victim told investigators that she was "kidnapped by a man whom she met on Kik".[24] Children in the U.S. and Australia are continuously targeted by pedophiles and predators, who coerce victims into sending sexually explicit materials and groom them for sexual acts via Kik.[25] [26] When the children would not comply with predators demand for explicit photographs, they threaten and harass them.[27] Kik lacks age verification and conversation scanning software that sites like Facebook use, which allows them to flag questionable conversations based on keywords and the age of the participants. As a result, Kik Messenger is largely unregulated. [28]

Jackson Roland Westermeyer, 18, was charged by Huntington Beach Police Department for posing as a girl and threatening more than 100 boys to send him explicit photos. More than 1,700 different conversations were found stored on Westermeyer's Kik; some dating back over a year, police said. Law enforcement were still trying to identify pictures of 50 to 100 more children found in Westermeyer’s possession, according to Huntington Beach Police Chief Robert Handy. [29] The UK's online child protection agency is appealing to children who may have fallen victim to an internet sex abuser to come forward.[30] Various social media writers and experts, like, Kristen Thompson warned parents to check their children’s smartphones, and to regulate the usage of Kik Messenger and other apps for their children’s safety.[31]

When asked about the risks and dangers of using Kik Messenger, Kik said usernames identified users, rather than personal information, such as mobile phone numbers and email addresses. Kik said users are also able to block "any and all contact" with another user, without revealing to the other user that they had been blocked, which "instantly terminated any undesired contact from another user". There is also an "ignore new user" feature, allowing users to hide messages they received from people they had never talked to before. Kik said it had policies in place to respond "in the best way possible" when something was reported by a user or police "Kik actively cooperates with law enforcement agencies all over the world, to ensure the safety of their users," it added.[32] But in spite of all of the above countermeasures, the crime rate against the children through Kik Messenger, due to its privacy, minimization of authority and somewhat difficult reporting options,[33] are increasing at an alarming rate.

In 2014 an advertising company reported that Kik has been “overrun by porn spammers”. [34] Pedophiles have used automated spam bots to distribute explicit images and text over Kik Messenger. [35] [36]

http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/nbc33/news/Police-Issue-Warning-About-Child-Predators-Using-Kik-App-220665461.html Jump up ^ http://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/12/02/kik-social-media-platform-draws-police-warning Jump up ^ http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/526633/20131202/kik-app-social-media.htm#.UzU5_2cvCMI Jump up ^ http://fox17online.com/2014/01/14/new-social-media-apps-pose-predator-dangers/#axzz2xFKS5Uqz Jump up ^ http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-23315397 Jump up ^ http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/pedophiles-coercing-kids-using-phone-app-20130327- 2gu3a.html Jump up ^ http://www.smh.com.au/national/police-warning-on-social-media-messaging-app-kik-20131130-2yimo.html Jump up ^ http://www.smh.com.au/national/police-warning-on-social-media-messaging-app-kik-20131130-2yimo.html Jump up ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/common-sense-media/11-sites-and-apps-kids-are-heading-to-after-facebook_b_3991614.html Jump up ^ http://www.smh.com.au/national/police-warning-on-social-media-messaging-app-kik-20131130-2yimo.html Jump up ^ http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/05/10/messaging-app-tied-to-crimes-against-kids/ Jump up ^ http://www.wlox.com/story/24146731/live-5-investigates-predators-using-kik-messenger-to-lure-kids Jump up ^ http://www.unionleader.com/article/20121004/NEWS07/710049951 Jump up ^ http://www.wlox.com/story/24146731/live-5-investigates-predators-using-kik-messenger-to-lure-kids Jump up ^ http://www.unionleader.com/article/20121004/NEWS07/710049951 Jump up ^ http://ktla.com/2014/01/16/child-predator-may-have-100-victims-using-social-media Jump up ^ http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-16288784 Jump up ^ http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765634022/Wake-up-and-smell-the-sexting-parents.html?pg=all Jump up ^ http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-23315397 Jump up ^ https://kikinteractive.zendesk.com/entries/23518788-I-m-being-harassed-on-Kik-What-can-I-do- Jump up ^ http://adland.tv/adnews/kik-messenger-app-now-overrun-porn-spammers/82322445 Jump up ^ http://globalnews.ca/news/1135647/students-parents-warned-about-explicit-spam-messages-on-kik-messenger/ Jump up ^ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/albertans-complain-kik-messenger-spam-bot-sending-sexual-messages-1.2561695 Jump up ^

JT2958 (talk) 10:21, 9 November 2014 (UTC)


 * There is now at least one news story on the Nicole Lovell murder in Blacksburg, VA indicating that she met her "18-year-old boyfriend, David" (also the name of the accused murderer) on Kik. TheBlinkster (talk) 00:11, 3 February 2016 (UTC)

Don't get it
Is it just SMS? Don't see the point of the app, article needs to make clear why it's a thing. Lycurgus (talk) 01:48, 8 March 2015 (UTC) jk its pretty dope — Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.165.82.9 (talk) 13:29, 3 September 2015 (UTC)

I don't understand how to connect with people Babygirlo827 (talk) 18:39, 14 November 2016 (UTC)

Link
Hi, I'm with Kik's marketing/PR team. We'd like to add a link to an article on Microsoft's web site about the PhotoDNA cloud service, which is already mentioned in the Wikipedia entry's History section. The article is at, and references Kik. Can someone make this addition if they think it's OK? Or, let me know if I can do this myself. Thanks for considering -- CK.Kentchristine (talk) 16:55, 23 July 2015 (UTC)


 * . The tone of the link you provided is promotional. If you would like someone to add information about Kik's use of PhotoDNA to the article about Kik, try to find reliable sources that are independent of Kik and Microsoft. --Dodi 8238 (talk) 20:52, 23 July 2015 (UTC)

Nicole Lovell case /controversy
I have added a short paragraph to the article dealing with Kik's well-publicized and well-sourced (I chose two sources out of probably a couple dozen at least available) involvement in the recent Nicole Lovell disappearance and murder. Since the news coverage is specifically focusing on Lovell's use of Kik, Kik's providing information to the FBI, the dangers of Kik, the steps Kik has taken in response, etc. I would hope that this specific coverage - not to mention the fact that there is a dead child victim now involved whose case has been widely covered in the US national media - would be sufficient to warrant keeping this section in the article. I note that the controversy section was cut way down in the past and while I understand that the previous section might have been a bit beyond NPOV, I also note there seem to be marketing and PR people editing or requesting edits to this page, and I would hope that they wouldn't be looking to take this information out, which has already been on all the national networks and in many major newspapers.TheBlinkster (talk) 02:21, 13 February 2016 (UTC)

Overhauled article
I have tried to get this article into some kind of functional shape. Aside from the previous version reading sort of like a bullet point list of press releases, most of the previous content seemed to be about Kik Interactive the company, with relatively little discussion of the features, practical use, user base etc of the actual Kik Messenger App that is supposed to be the main subject of the article.

In expanding the Controversy section, the reality is that the vast majority of secondary sources have written about concerns and issues with minors using the app, and this was going on even before the Lovell death. I have tried to also highlight the steps the company has taken in response and to have a features section up front that presents how the app works in a neutral tone, as well as noting the material in the sources indicating that this app is using a similar industry standard to other apps. Hopefully I hit a good balance for NPOV, and I think a balance is all we can shoot for here. TheBlinkster (talk) 19:24, 13 February 2016 (UTC)

Kik against common sense
https://medium.com/@azerbike/i-ve-just-liberated-my-modules-9045c06be67c — Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.186.207.107 (talk) 14:26, 23 March 2016 (UTC)

NPM Controversy
https://medium.com/@azerbike/i-ve-just-liberated-my-modules-9045c06be67c#.bbejhnabk

https://medium.com/@mproberts/a-discussion-about-the-breaking-of-the-internet-3d4d2a83aa4d#.stcavsk91

It has caused a large number of issues. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Guy 49837 (talk • contribs) 21:06, 23 March 2016 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the heads-up. A section has been added to Controversies. Cheers, TheBlinkster (talk) 13:21, 24 March 2016 (UTC)

Hi
Hi Adriana low (talk) 20:21, 28 August 2016 (UTC)

Hi how are you Alexsalazar (talk) 04:35, 7 September 2017 (UTC)

I'm good Alexsalazar (talk) 04:36, 7 September 2017 (UTC)

Outdated Images
Some of the images here are outdated, as new versions of kik has been released. Dionicio3 (talk) 19:47, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 28 February 2017
Zakir1 (talk) 16:39, 28 February 2017 (UTC)
 * Red question icon with gradient background.svg Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format. Stickee (talk) 22:56, 28 February 2017 (UTC)

tgdreams
tgdreams Alexander 86 (talk) 21:34, 20 March 2017 (UTC)

Cd here for other cd Stephaniejames (talk) 12:57, 6 November 2017 (UTC)

tgdreams
tgdreams Alexander 86 (talk) 21:35, 20 March 2017 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified 4 external links on Kik Messenger. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Corrected formatting/usage for http://www.13newsnow.com/story/features/2016/02/05/kik-messaging-app-scrutinized-in-wake-of-murder/79897414/
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20101110150237/http://www.dailyrumors.net/498-kik-messenger-free-messages-for-android-iphone-and-blackberry to http://www.dailyrumors.net/498-kik-messenger-free-messages-for-android-iphone-and-blackberry
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20101127152006/http://benefice-net.branchez-vous.com/actubn/2010/11/rim-blackberry-messenger-kik-application-mobile-concurrence.html to http://benefice-net.branchez-vous.com/actubn/2010/11/rim-blackberry-messenger-kik-application-mobile-concurrence.html
 * Corrected formatting/usage for https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-10/kik-adds-tools-to-prevent-child-exploitation-on-messaging-app

When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.

Cheers.— InternetArchiveBot  (Report bug) 17:42, 5 May 2017 (UTC)

Improving Minors' use of Kik section
I'm going to try and improve this section a little.

One question I have is about the line:


 * Kik has been criticized for providing inadequate parental control over minors' use of the app. The ability to share messages without alerting parents has been noted as "one of the reasons why teens like Kik"

Is it a reason it why people use Kik? And how is it different to SMS (normal mobile phone messaging).

I think the following the help, either in this section, or under features.


 * While an account can be used on more than one device, it can only be logged in on one device at a time. When you log in on a second device, it is automatically logged out on the first. Whenever an account is logged out, the chat history is cleared.


 * If the Kik server is not accessed using an account, then any messages to that account (or groups that account is in) are queued. These are then delivered when the currently logged in app has access; or when you log in (on the current device or a different one). There is however a limit to how many messages are queued, as well as a time limit to how long messages are stored.

Dannman (talk) 16:55, 1 May 2018 (UTC)

k1mmyicu
Hi, is this working ok ?KissCecilia (talk) 14:30, 25 April 2019 (UTC)

Shutting down?
Found this blog entry, not sure if it is substantial: https://avc.com/2019/09/hard-decisions/ m-p&#123;3&#125; (talk) 15:14, 24 September 2019 (UTC)


 * yeah, they're shutting down the messenger to go all-in on the cryptocurrency - but I haven't seen an RS mention as yet - David Gerard (talk) 21:24, 24 September 2019 (UTC)

That pre-shutdown 'email' is a widely spread hoax on twitter. Nobody can provide a source for it, and as of this message the service is still running. Actual shutdown date has not been confirmed by the company and is unknown. (2604:6000:1511:4C1C:D458:EA6:8FF:76E1 (talk) 20:21, 29 September 2019 (UTC))