In December 2020 we noticed that Yee is not available on the Apple App Store. However in Google Play, both the Monkey app and the Yee app are available. To confuse things even more, an app called Monkey Monkoy (with an icon almost identical to Monkey) that is the same sort of video chat with strangers app is available on the Apple App Store. As far as we know, these apps are not affiliated with one another. Bottom line: there are lots of risks in these types of apps (read below)!

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Monkey/Yee/Monkey Monkoy App Review

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Description: These types of apps allow kids to have fun chats with new people from all over the world. Users are randomly matched with other users for a brief, introductory video call. When matched with a new person, you can add more time or add the person on Snapchat to continue the connection.

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According to the owners of the Monkey App, “We want to create the new hangout spot for Gen Z where genuine face-to-face conversations are being fostered, instead of chasing brief and shallow social exchanges like collecting likes on Instagram.”

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Corporate website: https://monkey.cool/; https://yee.chat/; no website available for Monkey Monkoy

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What do parents need to know about Monkey/Yee/Monkey Monkoy?

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In 2023, the popular video chat app and website, Omegle, was shut down. Parents and tech safety advocates rejoiced! However, Monkey appears to be the predecessor to Omegle, and even has ties to the shut down site.

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This link on their website contains Omegle's Logo, name, and phrasing. When you click on the link, it brings you to the Monkey app. They mention Omegle numerous times in their description, which is alarming for how much exploitation occured on that site. To catch up on what happened with Omegle, here's this post. And here's the link to the according lawsuit (some images are slightly graphic).

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For an app that caters to teens, there’s no age verification. We are more and more of the opinion that apps who cater to kids must have some sort of age verification in place in order to provide a safer environment for young users, but Monkey/Yee/Monkey Monkoy doesn’t have any of this.

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Bullying and user safety are monitored. The app is trying to do the right things.  In fact, the Monkey app’s owners called us at Protect Young Eyes (which we appreciated) in order to make sure we clearly understood the extent of their efforts to keep their community safe. They claim to have 24/7 content moderation (https://monkey.cool/safety).

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No real privacy. Teens who use the app will be sharing three types of information, including personal information (name, profile picture, date of birth), user contributed content (the photos, texts, videos, and screen shots shared with other users), and automatic information (browser, I.P. address). Each of these is covered in the App’s Privacy Statement and has different levels of protection.

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In summary, Monkey does collect a lot of data about its users and shares all three types of information with third parties as needed. Teens need to remember that nothing is private and there’s always a risk that what is done is secret could be made public. This statement from their privacy statement summarizes this thinking:

‍Due to the inherent nature of the internet and related technology, we do not guarantee the protection of information under our control against loss, misuse, or alteration.

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– Monkey Privacy Statement: https://monkey.cool/privacy

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The app’s ecosystem (look and feel) resembles Snapchat, which makes it comfortable for kids to use.

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Sexualized content is possible. The Monkey app’s owner explained in great detail the steps the app is taking to analyze and moderate potentially sexualized content in the app. They currently engage two image recognition companies to scan user content for anything inappropriate. This is a great step.

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But, we’ve received emails from very concerned parents about what their children are being exposed to. One mom told us her daughter was contacted by a man who sent her a video of him masturbating to her videos. Another dad said, “Within 10 minutes of logging into this app my child was inundated with sexual requests, mostly by men of age 19 to 29. This is a very unsafe app for kids.”

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There’s only so much that can be controlled.

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Anonymity = good thing/bad thing. This is both a benefit and a detriment. The app’s creators want Monkey to be a place where kids who might benefit from finding a listening, non-judgmental ear is there for them (they shared a few comments from users who struggle with bullying who found solace in the app), but we just don’t believe that most teens have the wisdom to know how to navigate anonymous environments.

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The bottom line: are the Monkey/Yee/Monkey Monkoy Apps safe?

Parents, we just don’t think teens need these types of apps. Although we appreciated the information shared by the Monkey app’s creators and the efforts they’re taking to protect kids, we can’t condone random conversations among teens. 

Et si j'ai d'autres questions ? Comment puis-je me tenir au courant ?

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Deux mesures que vous pouvez prendre !

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1. Abonnez-vous à notre newsletter sur les tendances technologiques, Téléchargement PYE. Toutes les trois semaines environ, nous partagerons les nouveautés, les activités de l'équipe PYE et un message de Chris.
2. Posez vos questions dans notre communauté de parents privée appelée The Table ! Ce n'est pas un autre groupe Facebook. Pas de publicités, pas d'algorithmes, pas d'astérisques. Juste des conversations honnêtes et critiques et un apprentissage approfondi ! Pour les parents qui veulent « y aller doucement » ensemble. Devenez membre dès aujourd'hui !

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