Kik, an instant messaging app has a Canadian connection—it was initially developed at Western University, in Ontario, Canada in 2009.*

With Kik’s emphasis on privacy and anonymity, combined with the reality that 70% of users are teens and young adults, it attracts bad actors interested in sexual exploitation. While Kik’s policies might not allow pornography or inappropriate content, their practice shows another reality. In fact, two leading child safety organizations¹, one in 2021 and one in 2022, placed Kik at the top of the list for severe sexual content, and documented, “some of the highest rates of sexually explicit interactions among users.”ᒾ

Because of this, we are asking Kik to develop and implement better safety features.

*In 2019, it was sold to US investors.

[1] https://www.bark.us/annual-report-2022/ and https://www.thorn.org/

[2] https://info.thorn.org/hubfs/Research/Responding%20to%20Online%20Threats_2021-Full-Report.pdf, page 15.