KidzByte - Curated News for Curious Minds
Parents say
Based on 2 reviews
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KidzByte - Curated News for Curious Minds
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that KidzByte - Curated News for Curious Minds is an Indian-based news aggregator for kids. Articles from various sources are summarized in byte-sized, kid-friendly posts. These frequently have misspellings or incorrect word choices (i.e., "compiled" instead of "complied"). Because the app is geared toward kids in India, some of the cultural references (i.e. a joke about having "Lassi and cookies" while you read a book) may be foreign to some American kids. Kids can choose to have posts read aloud, which may appeal to emerging readers. The posts link out to the original sources which are typically not geared toward kids. The app requests personal info such as full name, mobile number, name of school, etc. It also pressures kids to purchase a subscription or power-ups (no parental permission required) to aid in quizzes so they have a better chance of winning prizes. So, though it's aimed at a younger user, the purchases, links, and privacy implications make the recommended age much higher. Read the developer's privacy policy for details on how your (or your kids') information is collected, used, and shared and any choices you may have in the matter, and note that privacy policies and terms of service frequently change.
Community Reviews
Kidzbyte!! The game changer for kids
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Helping my kid spend screen time wisely
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What’s It About?
KIDZBYTE is a kid-friendly news aggregator geared toward Indian school children. It covers a range of topics, including sports, science and technology, food, education, and global news. Each article is summarized in kid-friendly snippets with links out to the original news source. At the end of each news post, kids will find a quiz question relevant to the topic of the article, although the answer can't always be found in the post itself. Kids can earn points for correct answers or fewer points for more than one attempt. Kids also earn points for visiting the app each day, taking part in activities, and referring friends. These points put them in the running to win various prizes each day/week. Kids can also purchase power-ups and subscriptions that double their points for quiz questions. Each post also contains an activity suggestion for kids who want to dig deeper into a subject. Kids can "like" a post, share it, and/or bookmark it to read later. There's also an option for kids to have a post read aloud. An achievement section tracks kids point totals, levels, ranks, and more.
Is It Any Good?
There's a lot of promise in this kid-friendly news aggregator, but lack of privacy protection, in-app purchases, and heavy pressure to buy ruin the positive impact. Kidzbyte has some great things going for it. The news content is interesting and presented in a way that creates an overall engaging experience. Unfortunately, grammar and spelling mistakes abound, dulling some of the educational impact. Despite claims in the privacy policy that they follow COPPA guidelines against collecting personally identifiable information from kids, they request full names, mobile phone numbers, and school names as part of the profile. The information isn't required, but kids are offered extra points for adding it. Since points can lead to real prizes (one contest offered a Lenovo tablet and Xbox as prizes), the motivation is strong. Top point earners win prizes, so kids will also be compelled to subscribe or buy power-ups so they can double their quiz scores. Although there's an overall positive vibe in the news stories, all of the focus on points over learning leaves Kidzbyte feeling more smarmy than smart.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about interesting fact they've heard on the news, in school, or using an app like KidzByte - Curated News for Curious Minds. Are there any cool facts you can share with your family?
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Discuss in-app purchases and how/if kids can request purchases from an adult. What are the family rules?
App Details
- Device: Android
- Subjects: Language & Reading: reading comprehension, Science: animals, astronomy, ecosystems and the environment, Social Studies: cultural understanding, exploration, global awareness, Hobbies: cooking, pets, sports
- Pricing structure: Free (un-gated, optional in-app purchases to buy subscription and power-ups)
- Release date: March 18, 2019
- Category: News
- Topics: Holidays, Horses and Farm Animals, Ocean Creatures, Science and Nature, Wild Animals
- Publisher: KidzByte
- Version: 1.6.3
- Minimum software requirements: 5.0 and up
- Last updated: April 22, 2019
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