Grom Social
Good intentions for kid social network, poor execution.
Grom Social
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Grom Social is a social-networking site that was founded by a 12-year-old who was frustrated that he was too young for Facebook. The site is intended to be kid-friendly with an antibullying slant. The app claims that kid accounts require parental permission that involves a permission slip, a phone call, or a $1 charge to a credit card, but we were able to start an account with only an email address and a click on an email link. There was no separate registration/password for the parent account, giving kids access to all the controls. According to the publisher, content is moderated 24/7, and nothing iffy appeared during the review. However, ads surround the game content, and a lot of commercial posts from some of the Grom character accounts (brand-name sneakers, a marketing video for a laptop, and the like) appear. The games listed "for girls," in particular, include one that simulates an inane online chat with a virtual boyfriend and another that's all about avoiding participating in gym class because it's "boring." Read the app's privacy policy to find out about the information collected and shared.
Community Reviews
Super
Report this review
What’s It About?
GROM SOCIAL is a social-networking site geared toward kids who are too young for the Facebook terms of service. Founded by a 12-year-old with the help of family and friends, it is intended to connect kids. Kids can share status updates, pictures, and videos and then can like and comment on each other's content. They also can create an About page to share their interests. To expand their networks, kids can send friend requests and messages to each other. As of this review, the chat feature wasn't working; public messaging was all that was available. An avatar designer (Gromatar) lets kids design a profile picture if they would like. There's also a collection of games that includes some math games, as well as games that focus on cooking, arcades, puzzles, and so on. Some of the games seem to be designed by the Grom team and named after family members. Though parents have a lot of control over content and privacy, kids also have access to those controls.
Is It Any Good?
Despite the best of intentions for safety, this kids' social media app feels incomplete and full of flaws. Grom Social talks a good game about parent permissions, safety, and positivity, but there's little followthrough. The parent portal is a fantastic idea with the kind of granular controls many parents would love, but if kids can access those controls, what's the point? And then there's the irony of creating a "safe space" for kids and then filling it with advertising, especially ads that aren't even appropriate for kids. Even if that's not important to you, the user experience is shaky. The app crashes regularly, some features don't work, and there still isn't that much to do. Grom characters (largely made up of the family behind the app) do most of the talking, and not all of them seem to have a handle on what kids generally want to talk about. In some of the content, there's also some less-than-desirable messaging about girls, both in the virtual boyfriend chat game and the one about gym class. With better games, true privacy and parent control, and a more stable platform, this network could be a fun place for tweens to try their hands at social media.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about your social media rules about what should -- and shouldn't -- be shared online. How is Grom Social like other social media apps you've tried?
Talk about the benefits and drawbacks of safe social-networking sites for kids. How does this one stack up against others? When is a good time to start using the big sites like Facebook?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Subjects: Math: arithmetic
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: logic, solving puzzles, Communication: friendship building, Tech Skills: social media
- Pricing structure: Free
- Release date: September 10, 2016
- Category: Social Networking
- Topics: Friendship
- Publisher: Grom Social, Inc.
- Version: 3.2.2
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 7.0 or later; Android 4.4 and up
- Last updated: July 11, 2020
Our Editors Recommend
-
LEGO Life - Create, share & discover
Brand-heavy platform leaves little room to build community.
For kids who love social networking
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate