Alkateia
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How does the Friends feature work in Alkateia?

The Friends feature was designed for conversations with people who are already part of the user's real life — schoolmates, neighborhood friends, cousins, and other trusted people — without turning Alkateia into an open social network.

By Alkateia Updated September 25, 2026 3 min read

In this guide
  1. What is the Friends feature?
  2. How do you add a friend?
  3. How do the age rules work?
  4. Friends do not become family members
  5. Trusted friends can receive SOS alerts

Friends was created so children, teenagers, and adults can chat individually with people they already know in real life, keeping the family circle separate and private.

What is the Friends feature?

It is a way to talk within Alkateia to people already in your life, without adding them to your family group.

The goal is not to meet new people. It is to communicate better with those already in your life.

How do you add a friend?

To become friends, both people need an Alkateia account and must belong to a family in the app.

The connection begins with a direct, temporary invitation. There is no public area to search for strangers, followers, “people nearby,” or random profiles.

1. Direct invitation Someone shares a temporary invitation with a person they already know.
2. Age rules Alkateia automatically applies the rule for the user's age.
3. Individual conversation Once completed, both people can chat individually in the app.

How do the age rules work?

The rules below apply specifically to the Friends feature.

< 15 A parent or guardian must approve.

Children under 15 cannot complete a new friendship without approval from an authorized parent or guardian in the family.
15–17 The parent or guardian is notified.

From ages 15 to 17, teenagers can add a friend without prior approval, but their parent or guardian receives a notification about the new friendship.
18+ No approval or notification.

From age 18, new friendships do not require approval or generate a notification for a parent or guardian.
In brief:
  • Under 15: parent or guardian approves.
  • Ages 15–17: parent or guardian is notified.
  • 18 or older: no parent or guardian approval or notification.

A friend does not become a member of your family

Adding someone as a friend does not let them see or join your family group. Family and friendships remain separate spaces.

There is no extra charge to add friends. The Friends feature is already part of the Alkateia experience.

Trusted friends can also receive your SOS

Users can choose, optionally, specific trusted friends to also receive their SOS alerts.

These friends receive the alert alongside the family. They do not replace family members: the designated members of the family continue to receive the SOS.

Please note:
  • adding someone as a friend does not automatically make them an SOS recipient;
  • users choose which trusted friends can also receive their alerts;
  • selected friends receive the SOS alongside the family;
  • family members remain among the alert recipients.