Kik is a messaging app owned by MediaLab.AI, a privately held technology holding company that also operates Whisper, Amino, Genius, and Worldstar under a single shared privacy policy. Kik's own privacy policy discloses broad, cross-service data collection — including information obtained from advertisers, app developers, and other online or offline sources, plus cross-device ad matching — and a CCPA sale opt-out framework that applies only to users the company does not actually know are minors, implying personal information of adult users is treated as a 'sale.' Apple's App Store privacy label (self-declared by the developer, 'Medialab - Kik') lists Identifiers as data used to track users across other companies' apps and adds Contacts, Search History, Photos/Videos, and Advertising Identifiers as data linked to identity. Kik lacks default end-to-end encryption for chats. In August 2025, the Nevada Attorney General filed a civil lawsuit against MediaLab.AI and Kik alleging the app's anonymous, low-barrier-to-entry design facilitated child predation and that the company made deceptive safety claims — an active, unresolved regulator action (allegations, not yet a judgment).
TRACK RECORD
1 ENFORCEMENT ACTION
[2025-08-18]
The Nevada Attorney General's office announced it filed a civil lawsuit against MediaLab.AI and Kik on August 18, 2025, alleging the app's easily created anonymous accounts and low barrier to entry facilitated child predation and that the company made deceptive claims about safety; the office brought claims including negligence, products liability, unjust enrichment, and violation of the Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act. This is an allegation in an active, unresolved lawsuit, not a judgment or settlement.
Apple's App Store privacy label, self-declared by the developer ('Medialab - Kik'), discloses that data collected and linked to a user's identity includes Third-Party Advertising and Developer Advertising/Marketing Identifiers, Analytics Search History, Contact Info (Email, Phone Number, Contacts), and User Content (Photos or Videos, Customer Support content).
The service's policy indicates your personal data may be sold or otherwise transferred as part of a bankruptcy proceeding or other type of financial transaction.
Kik's privacy policy (operated by MediaLab.Ai) states that information is collected both while a user directly uses the services and 'in the background,' and that MediaLab separately receives information about users from advertisers, app developers, publishers, and other online or offline sources, whether or not the user is logged in.
Kik's App Store listing independently lists the app's Seller as 'Ai Medialab Inc,' corroborating the privacy policy's identification of MediaLab as the operating company.
Kik's privacy policy states it is issued by MediaLab.Ai and governs Kik alongside several other MediaLab-operated apps (Worldstar, Amino, Genius), naming the operator directly.
Kik's privacy policy states that the CCPA right to opt out of the sale of personal information applies because 'Kik is an 18+ platform,' and that MediaLab 'does not sell the personal information of consumers we actually know are less than 18 years of age' — implying personal information of adult users is otherwise treated as sold/shared absent an opt-out. The same policy separately states information may be disclosed to law enforcement, government agencies, or in response to legal requests on a 'good faith belief' standard, including requests from outside the United States.
The Nevada Attorney General's office announced it filed a civil lawsuit against MediaLab.AI and Kik on August 18, 2025, alleging the app's easily created anonymous accounts and low barrier to entry facilitated child predation and that the company made deceptive claims about safety; the office brought claims including negligence, products liability, unjust enrichment, and violation of the Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act. This is an allegation in an active, unresolved lawsuit, not a judgment or settlement.
The same App Store privacy label discloses a 'Data Used to Track You' category listing Identifiers, meaning Apple's label indicates this data may be used to track the user across apps and websites owned by companies other than MediaLab/Kik.
Kik's privacy policy states that information collected about a user's activity on one device is used to personalize content and ads on another device (e.g. phone to laptop or tablet), and to measure whether the user took an action in response to an ad shown on a different device — i.e. cross-device ad matching.