Kindly

A simple, kid-friendly web app that helps users check their messages for harmful or inappropriate words before sending them.

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🌟 Inspiration

I was inspired to create this app because I’ve seen how cyberbullying and hurtful messages online can deeply affect people, especially kids. I wanted to build something that helps users pause, reflect, and make more respectful choices when communicating online. That’s how Kindly came to be. It's a tool to encourage kindness before you hit “send.”

💬 What it does

Kindly is a web-based app that checks your message for offensive, harmful, or inappropriate words before sending it. Users type their message, click "Check," and Kindly highlights or flags any problematic language using a curated list of bad words. It promotes better digital behavior by encouraging users to rephrase messages in a more positive and respectful way.

🛠️ How we built it

Kindly was built using HTML, CSS, and vanilla JS. I used Carnegie Mellon University’s list of bad words as a base, converted it into a JS array, and implemented a filter that scans user input. The design is kept minimal and user-friendly to ensure accessibility for all age groups, especially kids.

🧩 Challenges we ran into

One challenge was designing a UI that felt friendly and helpful rather than completely judgmental. Using HTML, CSS, and JS for the first time was also quite challenging.

🏆 Accomplishments that we're proud of

I’m proud that Kindly offers a simple but meaningful solution to promote digital kindness. It works entirely on the front end, meaning it’s fast and doesn’t require a server, making it easy to deploy anywhere. I’m also proud of creating a tool that can potentially reduce harmful messages and encourage more mindful communication.

📚 What we learned

I learned how to process and filter sensitive data responsibly, build a scalable front-end project, and design an interface that’s both functional and inviting. I also gained experience in thinking critically about ethical design and user experience, especially when building tools for young users.

🚀 What's next for Kindly

I plan to add features like AI-powered tone analysis, a customizable bad word list, message rephrasing suggestions, and even gamified kindness scores. I also want to make the app embeddable into other platforms like school learning management systems or kid-friendly chat services.

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