7 Things Every Parent Should Know About The New Kid-Friendly Search Engine, Kiddle
Yes, we searched all kinds of things on Kiddle, including 'Fifty Shades of Grey'.
Good news, parents! There's a new search engine that is completely safe for children to use.
Introducing, Kiddle.
A child-friendly search engine which bears a remarkable resemblance to Google has been launched. Kiddle features a logo similar to that of the search giant, but it is not affiliated with it.
Instead it uses a Google Custom Search bar, which is embedded in the site, to filter out adult content.
1. Kiddle uses human editors to weed out search results
The first one to three results will include safe sites and pages that are written specifically for kids that are handpicked and checked by the editors.
techtimes.comThe next four to seven results will feature sites that include content that is written in simple language so that young children are able to comprehend what they are researching. These too are handpicked and checked by the editors.
Results eight and onward include sites written for adults that are still filtered by Google safe search but are a bit harder for children to comprehend.
2. Kiddle shows more family-friendly search results by filtering any search sites with explicit or deceptive content
For example, a search for Khloe Kardashian and Miley Cyrus produces less raunchy results on Kiddle than it does on a normal Google search.
When searching for 'meow meow', Google produces pages of information about the drug, but Kiddle lists information about cats, including a cartoon featuring 'Henrietta Pussycat'.
3. On a lighter side, if someone searches for terms that are considered as "bad words", an angry robot appears and gives out a warning, instead of showing any results for the specific search
4. On the other hand, if your child happens to enter an LGBTQ-related search query, Kiddle search result would recommend your child to consult you about the topic instead
5. However, that same warning may potentially pop up for a range of inoffensive and often important queries such as terms related to the human anatomy or even 'terrorism'
6. Having said that, Kiddle have not, to date, successfully blocked all 'undesirable results'. We tried searching for 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and surprisingly Kiddle popped out results for the controversial erotic romantic film.
7. The advertisements on Kiddle are not filtered
The Google ads that appear alongside results also seem to be unfiltered, raising troubling questions about advertising to children.
A search for Donald Trump brings up the handpicked results you’d hope for, but offers ads for "expat financial advice", explanation that he owns stock in tobacco and tech, and bafflingly, the opportunity to buy Donald Trump at an intriguing 70 percent off.