Social Media
Is Weverse Safe? A Review for Parents
Overview
If your child is a fan of the rapidly growing musical genre K-Pop (Korean Pop), they may have the app Weverse. Owned by the company behind BTS, Weverse is a social media app designed for music lovers to connect with one another and with their favorite artists.
So, is Weverse safe for your kid? Read below to see all the details on the app.
Harmful Content 😲
The app may appear, at first glance, to be child-friendly, given its design language and the genre’s general fanbase, but it is far from safe for younger children. There are several features that may be dangerous for kids, such as a shop where you can buy all kinds of merchandise, a feature that lets you pay to message artists directly, and comments on artists’ posts where users can interact with one another. Media sharing and profile photos are also available, which can be used to share inappropriate content.
Predation 🚨
Thankfully, besides musical artists, there are no options to directly message other users. You can respond to comments, but they are public and visible to everyone. Potentially, predators could encounter kids in the comments and then move the conversation to a more private platform. Reporting options and keyword restrictions help, but do not completely eliminate risks for predation. The company also claims to filter and block child sexual abuse and child sexual abuse material.
Positive Value 💙
Much of the content on the app is musical artists sharing content with their fans (think selfies, live streams answering questions, and upcoming music), which can be harmless if used mindfully. However, there are aspects that may create an unsafe environment.
Parents may want to be aware that the ability to message artists directly could intensify parasocial relationships between children and their favorite artists. Additionally, the ads and merchandise pushed on the app may entice kids to make purchases without permission, especially since there are no settings to restrict purchases.
Privacy 🔒
Users do not have a single profile, but rather one for each musical artist’s “community” they join. You can choose to add a profile photo and share text and images, but you can also keep your profile from having any identifying information by using a nickname and not posting. You can also choose to hide your profile content and prevent people from following you entirely.
Parental Controls ✅
Weverse does not offer any parental controls, but luckily, Bark can help! With Bark, you can:
- Block Weverse
- Manage when your child can use it throughout the day
So, should my kid download it?
If your kid is a K-Pop fan, this app may be a lot of fun for them to see what their favorite artists are up to. That being said, the aforementioned risks are worth considering. We recommend this app for kids aged 15+, but it’s always important to consider your family and their needs.
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