Apps Parents Should Know About

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Pornography is easy to find. This hangout can be raunchy and include images, videos and depictions of violence, self-harm, drug use and offensive language are easily searchable.

• Privacy can be guarded, but it is challenging. Members who wish to have fully privacy have to create a second profile and password protect it as the first profile is public and viewable by anyone on the internet.

• Posts are often copied and shared. It's like retweeting. Teens often want their posts shared.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Public tweets are the norm for teens. Most teens have public accounts and once posted, a post can spread far and fast.

• Updates appear immediately.  You can remove it, but it can be read until it is gone. This can get kids into trouble if they say something in the heat of the moment.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Anonymity doesn't mean not accountable. AskFM could be required to provide the information if asked by law enforcement in investigating a potential crime. Kids might think they can get away with anything, even if it could be a crime.

• No one monitors the questions being asked, and it is increasingly being used for cyberbullying, sexualized content and other abuses.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• There are many videos not age-appropriate for kids. It does have a feature that lets you see how much time you have spent watching videos and you can set reminders to turn off and take a break.

• The site is user generated - meaning it relies on users to flag videos that violate terms of service.

• Innocent searches can produce inappropriate results. Violent and emotionally distressing pranks have been banned, but it is important to monitor activity.

• Parent controls are available. You have the ability to filter objectionable content using Safety Mode, but it doesn't catch everything and is easy to disable. 

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Users can take screenshots during a chat.

• There is no moderator. It is impossible to predict what kids will see or hear.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• The app is associated with TikTok - many kids use both.

• Kids can easily see inappropriate content, including racial slurs, scantily clad broadcasters, young teens answering sexually charged questions and more.

• Predatory comments are a concern. Because anyone can communicate with broadcasters, there is potential for viewers to request inappropriate pictures or performances or contact them and send private messages.

• A number of underage users have been exploited and are having explicit videos of them sold online.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Kids might make poor decisions to gain popularity. Kids can do or say anything and respond to requests from viewers, giving them little opportunity to think about the consequences.  Frequent profanity and sharing of personal information with anonymous viewers.

• Teens can share personal information, sometimes by accident. Teens often broadcast from their bedrooms, with personal information visible, and will sometimes share phone numbers or email addresses with people they don't know.

• Content can be unsettling. Teens even broadcast themselves sleeping, increasing the urge to share all aspects of life, even intimate moments, publicly - and with strangers.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Users have been confronted with racial and homophobic slurs, explicit content and more.

• Stranger danger - provides a platform to communicate with strangers who could be a threat. They can create fake profiles and trap your kids and teens into using this form of communication.

• Provides a hub for trolling, racism and bullying, along with having risky, sexual content. They have little control over live video chats, which can involve nudity and more. 

• Prime subscribers can access full profiles, including age, location, gender, pictures, other personal information.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Teens want as many "likes" as possible. Teens might measure the "success" of their photos - or even their self-worth- but the number of likes or comments they receive. It can be problematic if using to validate their popularity.

• Public photos are the default. All posts are public unless the privacy settings are adjusted. Hashtags and location information can make photos even more visible to people beyond followers if it is a public account.

• Kids can send private messages. Instagram Direct is like texting with photos or videos with up to 15 friends. They won't show up on their public feeds, so kids may be more likely to share inappropriate content with their friends.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Songs and videos can contain lots of iffy content. Swearing and sexual content are commonplace.

• It often includes comments not appropriate for younger users. Many comments are kind, but comments are also made about the performer's body or sexual references. 

• Gaining followers and fans feels important. Teens want a public profile to get exposure and approval and are motivated by higher numbers of followers and likes. To get this attention, they may post inappropriate or outrageous things.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Cell phone cameras can be misused. If kids are hiding photos, there's a good change they are inappropriate.

• You can check your child's phone has this type of app by opening the phone app stores and searching the terms "secret" or "vault." If Calculator5 or other hidden photo app is not on the phone, the word "GET" will appear. If it is already on the phone, the word "OPEN" will appear. Because there are hundreds of these apps, you may need to scroll through a few pages. 

• You can set parental controls on the child's phone so they cannot download apps without first receiving permission. 

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Stranger danger concerns - this app is designed to put users in contact with strangers and allows them to send disappearing messages so parents will find it difficult to oversee use of this app. There is no moderation outside of the block and report features available to users. 

• Many adults use Chatous to be flirty with strangers.

• Common complaints include some users pretending to be members of the opposite gender and that some send lewd photos and videos.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• It is a myth that Snapchats go away forever. Data is data and never truly goes away. It can be screenshot and shared by others. They can even be recovered, so be careful about what is being shared.

• It can make sexting seem ok. The seemingly risk-free nature of the app encourages users to share images of a sexual nature.

• There is a lot of iffy content - grab bag of articles, videos and quizzes from magazine publishers, TV networks, online resources and more.

• Snap Maps function displays your location in real time. The biggest risk is that teens have their locations seen by all friends, even those followers who might not be real friends. Best response is to leave it in Ghost Mode.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Whispers are often sexual in nature. Some users use it to hook up with people nearby, while others post "confessions" of desire. Lots of eye-catching, nearly nude pics accompany these shared secrets.

• Content can be dark, including topics of depression, substance abuse, and lies told to parents, teachers and employers.

• Easy for predators to lure children into meeting with them.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS

• Questions can be very person or sexual in nature.

• It is easy for sex offenders to become popular on the app and prey upon children and teens.

• Potential for cyber-bullying is high on this app.

• Because messages can be anonymous, many young kids or teenagers express opinions without fear, leading them to engage in  bullying or potentially criminal conduct.

• Encourages sexting and harassment of kids.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• It is for older teens - embedded GIFs and emojis with adult themes, such as drinking and sex

• Teens are always connected

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Stranger danger is an issue. Kik allows communication with strangers who share their usernames to find people to chat with. It has been used in high profile crimes, including the murder of a 13 year old girl and a child pornography case.

• The app is loaded with covert marketing.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• App is for users 16 and older - younger teens seem to be using the app.

• It can be pushy - auto connects you to all people on your address book and encourages you to add friends who have not signed up.

CAUTION TO PARENTS:

• This site has public and private "servers" or discussion  groups. Teens can join or ask to join private groups, or start their own.

• Some groups are more moderated than others, some are not safe for work, and others are hate-filled.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Kids and adults lie about their ages on this and other apps - no way to prevent adults from creating fake accounts to prey on children.

• This app encourages contact with strangers.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• This app is for adults only and is rated 17+. While it can be used innocently, it is a dating site for adults. Languages and images reflect that.

• Personal information may not be secure. It allows its users to view others who are closest to them and may not securely stores user location data, putting them at risk.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Lots of teens are using it. Because of its popularity, teens are always available for a quick chat, which often leads to connecting via Snapchat and continuing the conversation through that platform.

• Teens can accept or reject a chat. Users receive the stranger's age, gender and location and can choose whether to be matched or not.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• It is an open network, so users can chat with anyone online, as well as search locally, opening the door to potential trouble.

• Lots of details are required. First and last name, age, and ZIP are all requested or you can log in via Facebook. It asks for permission to enable location services on your teens' mobile devices, meaning they can find the closest matches wherever they go. 

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Users get paired with strangers and no registration is required.

• This is NOT a site for kids  and teens. People are searching for chats that are sexual in nature, and some prefer to do so live. Others offer links to porn sites.

• Language is a big issue. Much more explicit than those with identifiable users.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Underage users have had issues with solicitation from sexual predators.

• Roblox appeals to kids under the age of 12, who lack the ability to discriminate between appropriate and inappropriate requests. 

• Watch out for sexualized avatars and monitor the third party chat app.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• It is easy to create a fake profile and teens have been using the site.

• This app automatically makes payment withdrawals without asking you as the credit owner. You could lose a lot of cash from cybercrime activities. 

• Easy app for predators to access and lure your child in.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Since it is location based, the dangers are pretty clear. Predators could easily track kids.

• Pedophiles are using the app to target kids, which has been revealed in several rape cases.

• "Shake to chat" puts you in touch with a nearby person at random.

• Content can be graphic and sexual in nature. The flirting app has been used to encourage kids to engage in sexual acts. 

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Danger of adults meeting with underage kids.  The lack of age verification has led to several child abuse cases over the years.

• Predators look for teens on these sites.

• Pictures often reveal locations.

• Tinder promotes sex and in person meetings.

CAUTION FOR PARENTS:

• Predators can easily make a fraud profile and sign up as a minor to acquire the privilege to gain access to "protected" teen account holders, making teens susceptible to pedophiles and predators.

• Encourages focus on looks and can instil negative perceptions of self.