What is Kik? Phone app attractive to teens, criminals

FORT MYERS, Fla. – A free messenger app popular among teens has also been used to commit crimes against minors.

Kik was created in 2009, but today about 40 percent of teens use the app, according to the app’s blog.

The app connects users to chat room allows them to communicate anonymously via text, photos and video. It can also be used by children without cellphones.

While Kik can be attractive to children, tech expert Shaun Books said the app also attracts adults who want to exploit children.

“They’ll find a Google image of a 13 or 14 year old on the Internet and then they’ll post something that may be enticing,” Books said.

For unsuspecting teens, Kik can become more dangerous if linked to other apps that reveal their personal information, Books said.

The app has been used in crimes across the country, including the high profile killing of a 13-year-old girl in Virginia.

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