Technology: A fun and safe messaging app for kids

The Walt Disney Company recently ventured into social messaging with a new app, Disney Mix, with a promise to safeguard the safety of children's communications on the app. Catering to kids, pre-teens and their families, the app also combines messaging with a series of fun memes, gags and games to challenge your friends. It is being touted as the next big thing in social messaging. But is it worth the hype? Lets find out:

The fun stuff
There are no traditional LOLs or claps or fingers to poke fun at a buddy. Instead, you get memes with phrases like Lame, Did You Smell That and On Fire. Adults might not associate much with them, but they make for fun retorts. But that's not where the fun ends. You can also send animated gags like thumbs up or down, a carnivore plant (that would devour them temporarily) or a ping-pong ball gun (to shoot them in the head).

The app's interface is enjoyable, and also allows users to customise their avatars, inspired from certain Disney and Pixar characters like Flash from Zootopia, Hank from Finding Dory, Jenny from Adventures In Babysitting, Danny from Future-Worm and more. The app will soon add the camera option allowing users to share photos and videos with friends. You can also get news delivered to your chat list from five official accounts - Disney Channel, Disney Movies, Disney Music, Disney XD and Radio Disney on the app. Needless to say, it's one of the most interesting messaging apps out there.

The serious part
The safety of children in the online world is a major concern, and with children forming a large fan base of Disney, we can understand why there's so much emphasis on the safety features employed in the app.

Firstly, Disney has retained the right to moderate all conversations on the app. This means that it will filter all conversations on the app. Secondly, Disney has a few rules, breaking which will result in a temporary or permanent ban from the app. These include requesting or sharing information with people you don't know, and including your real name, phone number, home address, email address, social networking information, school name, username, personal blog, photographs and videos.

It also disallows bullying or harassing behaviour, as well as swearing, racism, or illegal, foul or graphic content of any kind. We punched in a few swear words, which were replaced with hyphens, and soon a message appeared (see pic, below) warning us of a ban. The app comes with certain red-flagged words, using which brings their attention to your profile. Disney has not shared the list, but certain users on Google Play Store have complained of being banned for using words like gay.

Also, to ensure that you do not add posers or fake profiles, the app come with QR scanning to help you connect instantly and safely with your friends on the platform.

The guide verdict
Disney Mix is, without a doubt, one of the most enjoying messaging apps out there, and we will give it ten out of ten for the animated gags that add fun to a conversation. As far safety goes, it seems on the ball, thought most of it depends on its users. However, the focus on children is a way bit too much, and we are sure there are lot of adults who would love to use the app and interact with friends, without being restricted by a homophobic filtration system.

Available on: iOS and Android
Cost: Free