Kiddle (search engine) explained

Kiddle
Screenshot Size:300px
Type:Search engine
Language:English, Spanish
Registration:No
Launch Date:2014

Kiddle.co is a web search engine and online encyclopedia emphasizing safety for children. Kiddle search is powered by Google Programmable Search Engine and employs SafeSearch with additional filters. Kiddle is powered by Google Custom Search but is not affiliated with Google LLC.[1] It has been mistaken for a Google product in several news articles and blogs due to its name.[2]

History

Kiddle's domain was registered in 2014. The .co domain was chosen by the designers in order to emphasize the search engine's "children only" target audience.[3] Kiddle became very popular on social media in 2016, and even became a meme due to blocking of certain keywords for a short period of time.[4]

Since July 2023, Kiddle is also available in Spanish.[5] [6]

Format

Once the user enters topics in the search toolbar, Kiddle returns and ranks its findings, and pushes child-safe content higher in its search results. It appears like a Google Programmable Search Engine window with an outer space stylized theme for their pages.[7] Kiddle presents search results with the first three results being deemed safe and written specifically for kids and "checked by Kiddle editors", the next four being safe sites not written specially for kids, but presented in kid friendly language. The eighth result and anything else beyond are safe sites written for adults but harder to understand for kids. Results presented are filtered through Google SafeSearch.[7] [3]

If the user enters terms that are considered inappropriate, a picture of a robot is displayed, telling the user to try again.[8]

Kpedia

Kiddle Encyclopedia (Kpedia) is an online encyclopedia available from their search engine. It lists over 700,000 articles, and is "based on selected content and facts from Wikipedia, rewritten for children." Kiddle positions its Kpedia as an educational resource to be used for "school homework help and general education," and includes their articles in search results.[9] [10] The software is powered by MediaWiki.

Controversy

In 2016, Kiddle came under criticism for blocking various LGBT related search terms, with their rationale being that the keywords were not suitable for small children.[11] [12]

Due to criticism, Kiddle unblocked these keywords.[13]

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About Kiddle - visual search engine for kids. 2019-10-07. www.kiddle.co.
  2. Web site: 2019-03-19. Child-friendly search engines: How safe is Kiddle?. 2019-10-04. Naked Security. en. 2020-08-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20200805113502/https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2019/03/19/child-friendly-search-engines-how-safe-is-kiddle/. live.
  3. Web site: About Kiddle - visual search engine for kids. www.kiddle.co. 2019-10-07.
  4. Web site: 'Child-friendly' search engine Kiddle is promoting ignorance. Connolly. Amanda. 2016-03-01. The Next Web. en-us. 2019-04-09. 2020-08-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20200805142731/https://thenextweb.com/opinion/2016/03/01/child-friendly-search-engine-kiddle-is-promoting-ignorance-not-safety/. live.
  5. Web site: Kiddle Español. 2024-01-30. es.kiddle.co.
  6. Web site: Enciclopedia Kiddle para niños. 2024-01-30. ninos.kiddle.co.
  7. Web site: Keating. Lauren. 2016-02-25. Kiddle Search Engine Is The Google For Kids. 2019-01-21. Tech Times. en. 2019-09-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20190913025206/http://www.techtimes.com/articles/136639/20160225/kiddle-search-engine-kids.htm. live.
  8. News: 'Safe' search engine blocks common words. Zoe. Kleinman. BBC News. 1 March 2016. 23 January 2019. 10 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190610155211/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35694883. live.
  9. Web site: Kids encyclopedia facts. kids.kiddle.co. 23 January 2019.
  10. Web site: 7 search sites to use other than Google. Navarro. Francis. Kom. The Kim Komando Show. en-US. 2019-01-21. o.com. 12 January 2019. 2019-07-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20190731064207/https://www.komando.com/tips/529215/7-search-sites-to-use-other-than-google. live.
  11. News: 'Safe' search engine blocks common words. Kleinman. Zoe. BBC News. 2016-03-01. 2019-01-21. en-GB. 2019-06-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20190610155211/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35694883. live.
  12. Web site: 'Child-friendly' search engine Kiddle is promoting ignorance. Connolly. Amanda. 2016-03-01. The Next Web. en-us. 2019-01-21. 2020-08-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20200805142731/https://thenextweb.com/opinion/2016/03/01/child-friendly-search-engine-kiddle-is-promoting-ignorance-not-safety/. live.
  13. Web site: Kid-friendly search engine Kiddle unblocks 'inappropriate' words after backlash. 5 March 2016. pix11.com. 23 January 2019. 28 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201128000905/https://www.pix11.com/2016/03/05/kid-friendly-search-engine-kiddle-unblocks-inappropriate-words-after-backlash/. live.

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