Weight Watchers May Be Exploiting Vulnerable Kids With Its Weight Loss App

Kurbo doesn’t require rigorous screening for weight loss coaches — and more problems

Graphic by author (who thought it was clever)

On first impression, Weight Watchers’ Kurbo app, geared toward kids ages 8 to 17, looks friendly, cute, and simple. But then… wait, this is a weight loss app for kids! Suddenly, the same things that made it friendly, cute, and simple make it nauseating.

And I wasn’t the only person to think so.

Laypeople and health professionals on Twitter hashtagged #kurbokills and #wakeupweightwatchers to organize their outrage. A Change.org petition asking Weight Watchers (recently rebranded as WW) to remove the app now has nearly 110,000 signatories.