It’s a cunning blend of Snapchat, TikTok, FaceTime, and Tinder but behind the friendly monkey face of the famous Monkey App, it’s a jungle out there. There are new friends to be made and exciting connections to be forged—but serious privacy and safeguarding concerns also lurk in the world of randomized video chats. Join us in exploring the Monkey App, including how it works, what the hazards are, and how to use it more safely. To help shield your security and privacy wherever you monkey about online, deploy reputable defenses like Avira Free Security.
What is the Monkey App?
It’s by teens, for teens, and promises to be lightning fast, unpredictable, and totally random. The Monkey App (also known as Monkey.Cool and Monkey.App) is a free social networking and video chat app that was launched in California in 2016 by teen high-school dropouts and tech whiz-kids, Ben Pasternak and Isaiah Turner. The duo met online (obviously) and, despondent with existing social media platforms, wanted to create something cooler and slicker, that was also easy to use. And so, Monkey was born. People quickly went ape for the thrill of its instant connections and the exciting interactions it promised. Monkey is designed to help users make new friends online by randomly matching strangers in real-time video calls. The calls are timed and last for just 15 seconds. Then if both Monkey pals consent, they can keep on chatting. Otherwise, they’re automatically reconnected to another new user for a 15-second chat. They can also join in group chats and text chat with others.
Speed dating for friends? FaceTime roulette with Snapchat features and TikTok vibes? The Monkey App has been described as all of the above and the service is proud of the hip, young crowd it attracts from across the globe. Teens craft their profiles using the usual information, like username, age, gender, and location. There’s also a palette of popular social media features to choose from, such as filters, stories, and card swiping.
Popular Monkey App alternatives have sprung up so if you (or your kids) are in a hurry to connect with random strangers near you or worldwide, you can also check out holla, emeraldchat, chatroulette, and melon, to name but a few. There’s also Yubo, which collaborates with SnapChat and provides audio and video conferencing in addition to its live video chat features. If you’re camera-shy, Camfrog lets users pause their camera. Many apps are free, but you’ll usually have to pay to make use of extra features.
How does the Monkey App work and how do you get started?
Most of us are already familiar with social media apps like Facebook and online chat platforms like Snapchat, so navigating the Monkey App is highly intuitive. You’ll find a lot buried behind the iconic monkey head logo on the site’s bright purple background. The entire experience is based around user profiles and a matching algorithm. Members can also take advantage of chat features like direct messaging and instant translations, meaning that language barriers are zapped before they can even arise. The world truly is your oyster (or monkey nut).
Here’s how to get started: Monkey offers Android and desktop PC versions, so you’ll need to make your choice upfront.
You’ll then need to create a profile based on your Google, Facebook, or Apple accounts, and have the option to connect with an email address. If you choose to link to an existing account, Monkey can automatically pull the data it needs (such as your name, date of birth, gender, and location) directly from there, making signing up faster and easier. Beware that linking accounts can potentially grant hackers access to multiple services with one set of credentials, so this isn’t advised for the security-conscious!
Now it’s time to be brave and hit the Start Video Chat button. You’ll have to give the app permission to use your camera and microphone and will then find yourself in a video call with a stranger. You can see your chat buddy’s key profile info, including their gender, picture, username, age, and location. Although the video chat pairings are randomized, the Monkey algorithm connects people of a similar age, with similar interests, and who don’t live a million miles from each other. So, although they’re meeting a complete stranger, there’s a stronger chance visitors will “vibe” (that’s Monkey speak for “hit it off”) thanks to the guiding hand of Monkey metrics. Online dating services work in much the same way.
Monkey is not for the indecisive! Once the video chat begins you have 15 seconds to decide what to do: Hit the Time button to extend your chat or tap the Next button to immediately end it. That’s not really the end though as you’ll immediately be matched with another user for a video call and the process begins again. If the 15 seconds expire without both users making a choice, the call ends automatically—so don’t hesitate or your new BFF could evaporate into a digital jungle.
Did you “vibe” with someone? You can add each other as a connection by tapping the Friend button. To video call again, or send a direct message, you’ll have to subscribe to Monkey Plus which gives members access to premium features and currently costs less than $15 a month. In addition to text messages, you can also sort matches by your choice of gender or apply an LGBTQ filter. The “basic” Monkey is free to download from the Google Play Store (or the monkey website for the desktop version) and users can enjoy essential features, like random chats and video calls, without any charges. Although free dynamic chats are undoubtedly the site’s drawcard, users on the free program may become frustrated if they forge a connection and can’t contact that person again. The upsell path will be a well-trodden one.
Monkeying about with the app: Explore the features and terminology
Monkey offers a range of features that promise to enhance the fun and functionality. Take a quick tour of them below as well as the main names you’ll encounter.
- Virtual masks and effects: Pick from an assortment of masks and special effects to add some humor and creativity to your chats.
- Language translation: Monkey offers a built-in language translation feature, helping users communicate across language barriers and promoting global connections. Auto translations aren’t perfect though, so be prepared for some misunderstandings and language problems that could limit the depth of your connections.
- Choose from Solo, Duo, or Group: You decide on the number of people you want to engage with. Solo is obviously for those going it alone. Duo lets you invite a friend which some people find less intimidating than appearing alone. Group chat is for chats of more than three.
- Knock-knocks: Use this feature to instantly contact someone via a text chat. It’s a useful alternative to a monkey video call—but you’ll need a premium subscription. Monkey does not offer end-to-end encryption and is therefore not considered a secure messaging app. “Knock knock” chats expire after 24 hours unless both people add the other as a friend.
- HMU mode: This is essentially a “hit me up now” status update which notifies contacts that you’re online and available for knock-knocks.
- Moments: This works like Instagram or TikTok stories where users can take a picture or video, and then edit and post it. Please remember that these moments are not just visible on your profile, but also in the app’s search feature—so you’ll never know who’s watching!
- Cards: Tinder users will be very familiar with the merciless world of swipes and it’s no different here. Cards are pictures of users in nearby areas that you can accept or dismiss with a left or right swipe. Two users are matched if they both swipe right on each other’s cards. If you’re very keen, there’s also a Super Like option that notifies the lucky recipient that you want to chat. Monkey doesn’t classify itself as a dating app but certainly borrows many elements from these sites, such as swipe matching and profile sorting by location and gender.
- Coins or gems: This is the currency you’ll need to make in-app purchases.
What are the potential risks?
Remember the initial log-on screen we mentioned earlier? It features a tiny tick box requesting verification that the user is over 18 but there are no age verifications so anyone can sign up. Users are also required to input their date of birth, but there’s nothing stopping a young child from entering a fake birthdate—and let’s be honest, the cartoon graphics suggest that the site is designed to appeal to younger users. Yet because of the adult age rating, Monkey is filled with mature content including explicit language and sexual content. Users can’t access the site without turning their camera on, so there’s no option for greater privacy. Did you know that hackers can gain access to your webcam? Read up here on webcam hacking and how to protect yourself.
Caregivers, schools, and online safety experts have also expressed concerns about the personal information young people are casually required to give away—and that screenshots from Monkey can be shared on other social media platforms without consent. The service’s biggest strength can also be its greatest weakness: Randomized pairing means users have no way of knowing with whom they will be connected. As is the case with many apps, there’s nothing stopping a middle-aged male paedophile masquerading as a cute college girl. Accessing the site gives users in-app purchasing power and the option to upgrade to premium. Overzealous kids might spend more than they should—and the site’s gem and coin currency is especially appealing to young users.
Monkey is quick to point out that that it does have safeguarding features in place, but the jury is out on the effectiveness of these measures. There is a report button in the top right of the video screen and Monkey employs a 24/7 moderation team to review user reports of content that violates community standards. Yet visitors are able to post harmful content and then hit “next” so quickly that they disappear before their hapless chat partner has a chance to report them. This feature also offers zero opportunity to describe the reason for reporting content. You can also block or report a profile and choose from one of the following options: Underage, Inappropriate Content, Spam and No Reason.
You can find out more about how Monkey attempts to keep its community safe in the Safety Center. Here it openly admits that “people are given the power” and “Monkey is self-governing”. The cornerstone of this global community is free, fluid connectivity making it difficult to regulate. In its Safety Center, Monkey also claims to use AI machine learning to monitor and detect sexual and other inappropriate content or any activity that violates its policies. Offenders are instantly banned but there appears to be nothing stopping them from re-joining with a new profile and email.
Beyond the responsibility of app creators to minimize harm, users are of course responsible for taking their own security measures. Never head online without trusted antivirus protection—and preferably a multipronged solution that hits many birds (sorry, hackers and online spies) with one stone. Avira Free Security blends multiple online privacy, protection, and performance features.
Is the Monkey App safe for children?
With so many privacy concerns, no age verification, and the continuous threat of poorly regulated sexual and harmful content, it should come as no surprise that the consensus is a resounding “NO!”. Schools and authoritative bodies from around the world have condemned Monkey as harmful for minors and strongly advise against children using the site.
- In the US, the internet safety advocacy group Protect Young Eyes believes that Monkey falls foul of the group’s mission to “Protect innocence in a digital world”. You can read their full Monkey review for parents here.
- The UK-based safeguarding group, Safer Schools, issued an urgent safeguarding alert calling Monkey “extremely dangerous” and describing it as follows: “Our online safety experts reviewed and tested this platform and have found that it contains large amounts of inappropriate, disturbing, and harmful content transmitted via web cameras.”
- An investigation by the Washington Post revealed: “More than 1,500 complaints of unwanted sexual approaches, many targeting children, have been made against popular social networking apps in Apple’s App Store”. This review included the Monkey app.
The bottom line is that anonymity can be both good and bad. On the one hand, it offers users a space where they feel they can express themselves and be heard, while finding friends and solace. Sadly, anonymity is also a protective cloak for sexual predators, and anyone looking to groom or harm young people. Experts tend to agree that most teens don’t have the wisdom to safely navigate anonymous environments. There is no controlling who signs up and what they share.
Monkey also collects a lot of personal data about its users. The Monkey Privacy Statement is pretty standard as far as these policies go, but it’s always important to remember that (as Monkey explains): “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”.
Can you download the Monkey App for iOS?
No, you can no longer download the Monkey App from the Apple App Store although Apple never released a statement explaining their decision. The investigation by the Washington Post which highlighted the inappropriate behavior from sexual predators that minors were exposed to when using random chat apps like Monkey, most likely played a role. If you stubbornly disagree with Apple here, you can still use Monkey on your iPhone by visiting the monkey.cool website via your web browser.
Monkey is still free to download from the Google Play Store, where it’s rated “mature 17+”. It has currently been downloaded over 10 million times, so many teens are still embracing its promise of making new friends and meeting new people online!
How to safeguard children on the Monkey App—and online in general
It’s crucial that parents and carers understand that Monkey connects users randomly with strangers of any age. It’s not suitable for anyone under 18. It’s important to talk to young people about the benefits and risks of services like this and better prepare them how to respond if anything goes wrong. Here are some vital tips:
- Reinforce rules about talking or meeting with strangers.
- Read the Privacy Policy and Community guidelines of any app and ask children to respect them. Remind them to exit chats and report people that don’t.
- Discuss seeing or showing body parts during video chats and the potential repercussions, especially how this content may end up anywhere online.
- Remind children of the importance of meaningful, real-world interactions and relationships with people they know and trust. Make sure they have trusted adults they can speak to if they have concerns like bullying, so they’re not forced to find solace online.
- Use parental controls to monitor and control their online activities.
- Educate children about how to take extra privacy steps online, even when using their smart phones.
Essential protection you need for the Monkey App and beyond
Monkey’s founders encourage users to “embrace the unexpected” 1 via the service’s randomized video chats—yet without strong measures in place, you could be embracing much more than you bargained for. Websites, downloads, and even online ads called malvertising may be laced with viruses and other malware, and online surveillance is now a part of daily life. Avira Free Security combines a diverse spectrum of essential online security and privacy features, including Avira Free Antivirus, Avira Phantom VPN (for safer anonymous surfing), a Password Manager, and more. So, you can help thwart vulnerabilities like weak passwords, plus threats like Trojans and ransomware—while helping to keep your confidential data safer from prying eyes.
We live in an increasingly connected, global, and digital world which everyone, especially children, must learn to navigate more safely. Social media and video/chat apps like Monkey fill a need for connection that’s easily exploited. Look before you leap. Think before you share. And, if you’re a child, don’t talk to strangers. Our grandmothers were right.
1- Source: https://www.monkey.app/#/home, status Dec. 2023
Monkey is a trademark of EXU (HK) Limited in the U.S. and other countries. Apple is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.