Kiddle Search Engine, Let’s be honest. Search engines like Google and Bing (Especially Google) are excellent for searches. They have a lot of sites in their indexes, they’re quick and they have sophisticated algorithms. And they can filter contents to some extend but can they filter all the inappropriate results?
NO, THEY CAN NOT. Results on subjects like nudity, pornography, violence, drug abuse, and alcoholism are only a few clicks away.
If you’re a parent who has just heard about Kiddle and wants to know how it works and whether it’s safe for kids, then stick around as we cover the following topics:
- What Is Kiddle?
- How Does Kiddle Work?
- Kiddle’s Pros and Cons
- Is Kiddle Safe for Children?
What Is Kiddle?
Kiddle is a search engine with the function of providing safe search results for kids. It is designed exclusively for kids to be free of mature content and profanity.
Now a question that pops in mind is whether it is related to Google?
The Kiddle logo is pretty reminiscent of Google. This may lead you to believe that Kiddle is a Google product. The “Google Custom Search” logo displayed below the search bar is another sign to make you think Google had something to with Kiddle.
But Kiddle is an entirely different engine. And the “Google Custom Search” logo indicates that leftover articles not hand-picked by Kiddle editors go through Google’s Safe Search feature for filtering.
So, our final answer is, No. Kiddle has nothing to do with Google, despite their logo resemblance.
How Does Kiddle Work?
Kiddle tries to keep searches on drugs, alcohol, and other subjects inappropriate for kids as informative as possible. Kiddle is an online search engine for kids that filters questionable results to some extent.
For example, when a child searches for alcohol, articles that provide information on the scientific matter will be shown to readers, not ones that encourage alcoholism and substance abuse.
After searching a “bad” keyword, you will get an “Oops, try again!” notification.
That said, depending on what the child has searched, there is always a chance that questionable content might come up in your child’s query.
As stated on their website, this is how Kiddle’s search results are vetted:
First 1-3 results: Safe sites and pages written specifically for kids; handpicked and checked by the editors at Kiddle.
Results 4-7: Safe, trusted sites that are not explicitly written for kids but have content written in an uncomplicated manner, easy for kids to understand; again, handpicked and checked by Kiddle editors.
Results 8 and above: Safe, famous sites that are written for adults, providing expert content, but are more complicated for kids to understand; filtered by Google Safe Search.
Kiddle’s Pros and Cons
Kiddle’s Strongpoints
- Filters many inappropriate searches
- KPedia (Kiddle’s child-focused online encyclopedia)
- Good and informative articles
- It promotes privacy (Kiddle’s logs are deleted every 24 hours)
Kiddle’s Weaknesses
- It’s not enough for an all-inclusive protection
- Its filters are not foolproof
- Kids are left unsupervised
- Limited search capabilities and results
- Too many ads
Another downside is that the site lists the most kid-friendly results first, hence providing search results that aren’t always too focused. But as for what it does display, the articles are impressive.
Is Kiddle Safe for Children?
For a kid-friendly search engine, Kiddle is generally satisfactory. But parents have no control over what their kids search there. They can’t even know about them. This leaves the child unsupervised.
Moreover, even if parents find out about a questionable and mature website, they’d have to send a request for Kiddle to block it. Evidently, that is not the safest and fastest solution for your kids.
Safes not only detects inappropriate websites and keywords but also keeps the parent updated on what the child is doing at all times!
We have given you, the parent, full authority to keep your child’s app and internet use safe and secure.
With Safes, you can:
- Monitor your kids’ app and internet activity
- Block/Unblock inappropriate keywords and websites
- Track your kids’ live-location and get their location history
- Set up geofences and green zones
- Manage their activity and communications on social media platforms
- Set a screen time limit to prevent over usage of apps and device
- Get a full, updated report on their device, battery, and storage status
Safety parental control begins here. Get our parental control app for Android and iOS.