Is Pinksky Safe for Kids? What Parents Should Know

Pinksky is a new social media app for posting photos and videos, offering a clean layout and a more minimalist experience than Instagram. Kids and teens may be drawn to it for that very reason — it feels like a stripped-down, more authentic alternative to the algorithm-heavy apps they’re used to.

But at first glance, many parents are left wondering: What is this platform actually built on? And more importantly, is it safe?

What Is Pinksky?

Pinksky is an app built to run on the Bluesky network. Its layout resembles early Instagram, with a simple profile page and a chronological feed of content from people you follow. You can post up to four photos or one-minute videos at a time, and users can also share “stories” that disappear after 24 hours.

Because of its simplicity, some teens see Pinksky as more authentic or less intense than platforms like Instagram or Snapchat. Despite that perception, Pinksky is still considered social media — with likes, followers, public profiles, and direct messaging.

What Is Bluesky?

Bluesky is a decentralized social media platform created as an alternative to traditional, corporate-owned platforms like Instagram. It works a lot like Twitter, with short posts and reply threads. But because it’s built on an open network, developers can build other apps that connect to the same system, including Pinksky.

In short, Pinksky uses your Bluesky account to post visual content while still functioning within the larger Bluesky ecosystem.

Is Pinksky Safe for Kids?

No, it’s not. Pinksky lacks the protections that help keep young users safe. Profiles are public, direct messaging is available, stories disappear after 24 hours, and there are no built-in parental controls. On top of that, content moderation works differently here than on most platforms — and not in ways that benefit kids.

Lack of Parental Controls

Pinksky and the broader Bluesky platform have no native parental controls. There’s no way for parents to lock safety settings, monitor activity, or prevent access to mature content. This makes it difficult to supervise younger users who may not be ready for full online independence.

Public Profiles by Default

Every Pinksky account is public. There’s no way to approve followers or limit who can view posts, which makes it easy for strangers to browse a child’s content, follow their account, and engage with them directly.

Direct Messaging Is Available

Pinksky supports messaging through the user’s Bluesky account. While users can limit messages to mutual followers — that is, people they both follow and who follow them back — or even limit messages entirely, that setting is optional and easy to change. 

Since anyone can follow anyone, this setting provides little real protection. Because DMs are a common entry point for predators, scammers, and inappropriate contact, it’s important that kids know how to recognize warning signs — and that parents stay in the loop on who their child is messaging.

Disappearing Stories Create Risk

Pinksky includes a story feature where content disappears after 24 hours. That temporary window can encourage risky or impulsive sharing, since teens might feel their content “won’t really be seen.” But like with any social platform, screenshots and screen recordings are always a possibility. Once something is online, it’s not truly gone.

Appearance Pressure and Body Image

Studies show that image-based social media contributes to appearance-related stress and negative mood among teens. Apps like Pinksky, which emphasize visual content and public feedback (likes, reposts), can increase self-comparison and promote unrealistic appearance standards, even without filters or editing tools.

Attention and Sleep Disruption

Research links heavy social media use to attention issues and disrupted sleep in teens. While Pinksky doesn’t use a content algorithm, its feed is designed for constant scrolling, and the disappearing story feature adds pressure to check in frequently before content disappears.

What Does “Decentralized” Mean for Safety?

Because Bluesky is decentralized, there’s no single team in charge of reviewing content or enforcing rules. Instead, moderation is handled through user-driven labeling systems, and content settings can be adjusted by individual users. While graphic content is filtered out by default, users — including kids — can easily disable those filters in just a few taps.

What Parents Can Do

At first glance, Pinksky may seem more relaxed than other social platforms, but that doesn’t mean it’s built with kids in mind. Thankfully, there are a few things families can do to keep kids safer online.

• Start a conversation. Ask your child what they think makes an app safe or unsafe. Let them share their thoughts first, then talk about concerns like privacy, messaging, and disappearing content.
  
• Review privacy settings together. On Bluesky-based apps, you can go into Settings → Content Preferences to manage content and privacy filters. It can help to walk through these settings together — even if they’re easy to change later.
  
• Model healthy tech habits. Kids are more likely to take boundaries seriously when they see adults setting reasonable limits, too.
  
• Keep up with what’s trending. New apps pop up quickly, but you don’t have to understand every one in detail. Staying aware of how they work — and being willing to talk about them — goes a long way.

Easing Kids into Social Media

Kids aren’t ready for social media all at once, but that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on safety. A Tech in Steps approach gives them room to grow while keeping guardrails in place.

Gabb devices are built to block social media apps like Pinksky, Snapchat, and Instagram entirely. That means parents don’t have to rely on monitoring alone — Gabb phones and watches create a safer baseline by design. 

What apps are your kids curious about lately? How do you decide when they’re ready for new tech? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Author Morgan Dye

Morgan is a Gabb staff writer. She joined Gabb because she is dedicated to keeping children safe online. She loves watercolor and is an accomplished actress who can be found acting in her local theater productions.

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