Although the intention is to have users place Scripture over a stock-type photo, the mother discovered “inappropriate photos of teenage girls” and “alarming” conversations taking place in the comments. Users also were sharing information so people could contact them off the app. The concerned parent noted that most kids use their real names on the Bible App, which doesn’t have parental concerns for actions such as approving friends.
On his Instagram story, McKenna demonstrated how young users can add and accept friends. He also noted that instead of using stock photos behind Bible verses, users can choose an image from their camera rolls. That can lead to sharing—with complete strangers—inappropriate photos containing inappropriate comments.
McKenna emphasized that parents shouldn’t freak out or rush to delete the Bible App. Instead, he advised, stay aware and talk to your kids. “I’ve already heard back from YouVersion [and] they share my concern,” McKenna wrote on April 21. “We’re meeting next week. I look forward to helping them solve this.”
In a statement, YouVersion told Church Leaders:
We care deeply about creating a safe experience for people to grow in their faith, and we’re proactively taking steps to prevent misuse without creating barriers to Bible engagement features that are meeting the needs of millions of people around the world.
People who misuse our app by adding inappropriate photos are in clear violation of our Terms of Use, and we do our best to review and suspend those accounts.
Our most recent app update removes the ability to create verse images using a device’s camera roll. Users can still share verse images using a variety of pre-selected stock images or professional designs.
Additionally, our team is constantly testing ways to more quickly disable accounts based on reported activity and metrics like number of unfriends and blocks. We’re also looking into limiting the number of friend requests that can be made within a certain timeframe of account creation.
Based on the content and how the app functions, the app was designed for adults, so it’s important for students to engage in it alongside a trusted adult who can guide and support their spiritual growth. We want to equip parents to have conversations about what’s going on in their kids’ lives from a biblical perspective, and our app is a tool to help make that possible.
Our mission is to encourage and challenge people to seek intimacy with God every day, and we’ll continue to prioritize creating a safe environment for the global YouVersion community.
