Is Talkie AI Safe? A Talkie App Review for Parents

Harmful Content 😲

Talkie offers an array of content, from chats that are NSFW (not safe for work) and sexual in nature to math tools and kittens. With Teenager Mode off, users can access any content they desire, and it’s likely they’ll see inappropriate content appear on their feed. They can also follow other users and message them in the comment section of AI chats. Teenager Mode restricts access to extreme content and messaging, but it is not fool-proof and risky content can still come up in the feed. Even in Teenager Mode, kids can chat with characters from adult shows, like Game of Thrones, which could pique their interest and cause them to go looking for more adult content.

Talkie offers a variety of AI coaching and therapy chats, which could give your child a false sense of connection. Talkie AI is for entertainment purposes only and cannot offer any real medical or emotional support.

The most alarming feature of Talkie AI is the link to Discord, which is available in Teenager Mode as well. Discord is a messaging platform with minimal monitoring capabilities and a ton of potential dangers.

Predation 🚨

Teenager Mode reduces the risk of predation as it takes away the ability for users to chat and follow one another. However, Teenager Mode does not remove the link to Discord, which is a dangerous platform. On Discord, children can be added to group chats with hundreds of strangers — which presents the possibility of online predators posing as children.

Privacy 🔒

Talkie requests a user’s email and birthdate when logging in, but these aren’t public to other users. Users can put as much or as little information as they desire in their profile, so it’s possible to keep all personal information private. While other users can see the kind of AI characters your child might talk to, the actual conversation is not public.

Parental Controls ✅

Talkie AI offers Teenager Mode, which disables features such as the ability to search for content, comment on AI chats, and subscribe to other creators. Teenager Mode is accessed through a button on the top right of the profile page and requires parents to set a passcode. Once turned on, Teenager Mode cannot be turned off without entering the passcode. While this feature is helpful, it does not eliminate all risky content, so there is still the possibility that your child can engage in AI chats that are sexual or violent. Also, the Discord link cannot be disabled. The good news is, Bark is here to help. 

Bark can help you stay in control by letting you:

• Block the Talkie app completely, if needed.
• Manage when your child can use the Talkie app throughout the day.

So, should my kid download it?

Probably not. While Talkie AI has some cool features and resources, it’s not worth the risk of your child encountering inappropriate content. Teenager Mode can help filter out harmful AI chats, but it is by no means foolproof, and it also does not eliminate the link to Discord. All the fun tools that Talkie AI offers can be accessed elsewhere in safer environments.