Monkey App: How Predators Target Kids Through Random Video Chats

Why Parents Should Know About the Monkey App

• Monkey connects users with random strangers through short video chats, making it easy for kids to interact with people they do not know
• Teens can be exposed to adult content, bullying, inappropriate language, and requests for photos or videos, even when platforms claim to have moderation
• The app can show or collect details like age and location, and teens may not realize how easily personal information can be misused
• Monkey allows users to connect Instagram or Snapchat accounts, which can move stranger contact into other apps parents may not be watching
• Because Monkey works in a browser, deleting an app icon is not enough. Families who want a hard stop should block monkey.app and monkey.cool (and check history), not only look for a Play Store install

Inside the Monkey Chat App

From Random Video Chats to Social Media Links: Inside Monkey

• Monkey connects users with strangers via 15-second video chats with new people around the world
• The primary use of Monkey is to be randomly paired with strangers for a 15-second video chat by swiping through “Cards”
• Monkey is only available as an Android app on Google Play and as a web experience at monkey.app (monkey.cool redirects there). It is not offered as a native Apple App Store app, but teens can still open it in a phone browser
• Similar apps/websites: Omegle, Emerald Chat, Chatroulette, RandoChat, AddChat, Fachat, Ablo, OmeTV, etc.
• Users see the user name, age, and location of the other user before connecting with them in the 15-second video
• If anyone wants to video connect for longer than 15 seconds instead of switching to a new person, they can click on the 🕒 time button. Both must click on the time button for the chat to extend past 15 seconds
• Users can use the DUO mod (2P) to share a link to invite a friend to chat directly
• "Knock Knocks" are text chats with strangers that stay open for only 24 hours
• Students can post a “Moment” for all of their followers to see
• Users earn “Coins” by using the app or purchasing a membership, which are then used to unlock full match profiles and filter the “random” chats by different demographics (like gender preference)
• Teens can connect their Instagram and/or Snapchat accounts to their Monkey profile to help random strangers connect with them outside Monkey

Understanding the Safety Challenges of Monkey

• Randomly connecting with strangers makes it easy for teens to be targeted by predators. Any app that encourages students to connect with strangers online can be very dangerous
• Because Monkey works in a browser, deleting an app icon is not enough. Families who want a hard stop should block monkey.app and monkey.cool (and check history), not only look for a Play Store install
• Sharing your location with any stranger online could be dangerous, especially for kids who might reveal other identifying information without knowing how it can be used against them
• Content with bullying, bad language, and nudity is common on the app despite their claim of 24/7 content moderation and “self-governing” reporting processes. The app runs on user-contributed content (Source: Monkey)
  
  • Other users are likely to ask your kids for inappropriate photos or video
• Students might think they are having authentic conversations, but need reminders about what makes a friendship authentic
• Very little age verification is conducted when signing up other than self-selecting a birth date 
• There is no way to verify that the person you are making a connection with is actually the age and gender they’ve indicated in their profile
• Sharing an Instagram or Snapchat username through a Monkey profile connects strangers directly to other social networking accounts that students may not think of as a place strangers contact them

Why Monkey Can Be Hard for Teens to Resist

• Students think it is fun to meet strangers and make "new friends" or they think "cool people" use it
• Some have heard they can look for their favorite celebs in the connections
• Students might think they are safe using anonymous accounts and information
• Students already using the app might convince their friends it's the place to be
• Some may want to share amazing moments to gain online comments and popularity thinking they are building their self-confidence
• Teens might think of it as a dating app as it is marketed to “meet your crush"

Monkey App News: Risks, Reports, and Updates for Families

...investigators with the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office are issuing a warning to parents about the Monkey app and its potential threat to the safety of their children. - Fox 8, Geauga County, Ohio

What is the Monkey app rated? 

(Owned by Oviedo Interactives Limited, Based in Hong Kong)

Apple App store: Apple removed the app in their store likely due to many reviews about inappropriate behavior and minors on the app (Source: Distractify). (However it is possible to use Monkey on an Apple device by visiting monkey.app in a web browser, and it looks/acts like the app on iOS devices)

Google Play: M (Mature)

Monkey Community Guidelines: Users must be 18+
Privacy Policy

How to Respond to the Monkey App Trend in Schools and Homes

• Ask your student if they have downloaded or used the website
  
  • If so, have a conversation about why they are interested in chatting with strangers to help understand their point of view
• Teach students to be very cautious of the information they share online, even if they post anonymously. Remind students to never share personal information like their real name, phone number, email address, or physical address, especially with strangers
• Remind students to never give their other social media account information to strangers (like their Snapchat or Instagram, even if they think they are talking to a friend or someone their own age)
• Because Monkey isn’t available as an app in the Apple App Store and users can easily use it from a web browser on any device, consider blocking the monkey.cool and monkey.app websites on your student’s device and check their history to know if they have visited the site
• Use the SmartSocial 100+ Teen Apps list to help your student find an app in the Green or Gray zone with a safer environment

Key terms/slang about Monkey video chat app

• Cards - where the 15-second video chats happen
• Knock Knock - connection with other users through text chats open for 24 hours 
• DUO - chat with known friends using an invitation code
• Monkey King - Monkey’s support account
• Coins (formerly Bananas) - the currency used in the app
• DM - Direct messages

Conclusion

The Monkey app makes it easy for predators to target victims. SmartSocial recommends parents talk with their kids to see if they have used it, why they like it and how they use it, and about the dangers of talking to strangers on the internet, even if they think they are anonymous.