Parents' Guide to

MeWe Network

By Neilie Johnson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Ad-free, interest-based groups offer control, mature stuff.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Free Social Networking
MeWe Network Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • MeWe Network App - Screenshot 1
  • MeWe Network App - Screenshot 2
  • MeWe Network App - Screenshot 3
  • MeWe Network App - Screenshot 4
  • MeWe Network App - Screenshot 5

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 3 parent reviews

thuottel
thuottel Adult
August 9, 2021
age 18+

Misinformation

Mewe allows tons of misinformation about covid, vaccines, science, and climate change. Ok wouldn't let kids on that site. Children will be subjected to numerous pages with misinformation ! Mewe does not do enough to get rid of anti - vaccine posts and pages of people who promote misinformation. They allow misinformation about climate science. Lot's of hate speech on mewe too!
K J.
K J. Adult
August 23, 2023
age 18+

WARNING: Beware of MeWe Social Network ‼️

Severely Extremist/Far Right/CT/Pro-Trump/Predator/Terroristic Dominated. Zero Realistic Moderation! Groups are moderated by the Extremist Owners, Who Promote Extremism & Bullying. Including Doxing! Constant Pornographic Solicitation & Spam Within Groups. MeWe Moderation, Policing & Violation Reactions Are Zero & Reporting Is For Show! It Is Truly Full of Domestic & Foreign Terrorism! Absolutely The Epitome of the Wild West of Social Media.
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Privacy Rating Pass

  • Data are not sold or rented to third parties.
  • Data are not shared for third-party advertising and/or marketing.
  • Data are not collected by third-party advertising or tracking services.
  • Data are not used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
Learn more about our privacy ratings

What’s It About?

MEWE NETWORK offers adult users an ad-free social networking experience and more secure chat. Users register with email or phone number, create a profile, and are asked to confirm that they're sixteen years or older. They'll have the option to sync contacts from their device to MeWe in order to find friends. Upon registering, users can learn how to use the app's custom camera, create GIFs, add stories, learn about disappearing content, use the built-in tools to add text, filters, and emojis to photos, and more through the MeWe Chat Tutorial or by accessing the Help Center.

Users can browse featured pages dedicated to news, media, and various celebrities, or browse groups by categories like Music, Foodies, Health and Fitness, and Travel. Groups have a dedicated feed, photos and albums, and a linked group chat. Some of these interest groups are public, allowing members to participate simply by tapping the join button. Other groups are private and members have to apply to join. Private groups often ask members to answer a few specific questions as part of the application. When creating groups, users also have the option of making them public or private. Content from connected groups appears in the main feed, and users have the option to like, comment, and share content. For greater customization, feed content can be filtered by contacts, groups, or pages. Users can message each other directly via text or voice chat and can pay for end-to-end encryption (for more secure chat) by the month or the year.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (3 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This ad-free networking and chat app has all of the features and fewer of the downsides of some other popular platforms. Not only is it 100% ad-free, but its developers have said outright it doesn't secretly gather your personal info. Still, users are asked to check a box that they're over 16, which won't stop younger users but indicates the intended audience.

The app's interface is wonderfully clutter-free, consisting only of what's needed to post and browse. Filters give users full control over the content that appears on their feed. User-created groups take the place of corporate-sponsored infomercials, and a list of featured pages lets you access your favorite media sites and celebrities -- if you want to. Your feed consists only of what you and your friends put there, so there's no confusing sponsored posts with real posts, and you get to skip that creepy, spied-on feeling that comes when you say something about say, hula hoops, and minutes later there's an ad for them on your feed. Private group settings also gives users greater control over their network.

Beyond this, the app's built-in photo filters and instant GIF and meme tools make posting a lot of fun, and it's nice to know you can prevent people from sharing your posts and downloading your photos (though theoretically they could still take screenshots). All this is great, but MeWe clearly isn't meant for kids. Things adults use for convenience -- 24-hour disappearing posts, creating and tracking events, friending via QR code, Secret Chat, easily sharing your physical location -- aren't the safest features for younger teens. Some groups are in foreign languages without a simple way to translate content. On top of that, groups may contain imagery and/or discussions that include violent or sexual/suggestive content, hate speech, or references to substance abuse and self-harm. There are also open groups dedicated to conspiracy theories, witchcraft, bong thoughts, and viewpoints that could negatively influence kids. Users have the option to directly report posts or groups for violating the terms of service, which aim to create a safe space, free of harmful, obscene, violent, or lewd content. Ultimately, MeWe Network is just what it says it is: a next-gen social network designed for adults.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what makes an app like MeWe best for older teens and adults. What content is too mature for kids? What should we do if we stumble on upsetting or confusing content?

  • Think about how ads appear in our lives. How do you tell the difference between ads and other kinds of media? Where do you see the most ads?

  • Discuss the variety of viewpoints and theories you see online. How can you separate fact from fiction? How do you decide what you believe and not believe? Why can some theories not based in fact seem pretty convincing when presented online?

App Details

  • Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
  • Pricing structure: Free (optional in-app purchases for more features ranging from $0.99 - $5.99.)
  • Release date: January 16, 2021
  • Category: Social Networking
  • Publisher: Sgrouples Inc.
  • Version: 2.18.20
  • Minimum software requirements: iOS 12.0 or later; Android 6.0 and up
  • Last updated: October 7, 2021

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