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--according to doofinder.com (AI Search & Discovery for eCommerce) website
--according to doofinder.com (AI Search & Discovery for eCommerce) website
What Apps Are Our Kids Using?
as of October 25, 2022
(as with any app, users can create a fake profile, pretend to be someone else, and post mean comments)
COMMON SENSE MEDIA
A great source of information for parents to learn about apps their children use! www.commonsensemedia.org
CURRENT POPULAR APPS
TIK TOK
Tik Tok allows users to make short videos that can be shared with others. The user can comment on other videos. TikTok can also be used to bully others by making videos making fun of them or posting videos taken without the victim's knowledge. Users can report videos, although it may be difficult to have one taken down.
SNAPCHAT allows the user to instant message a certain person or a selected group. The big attraction of this app is that after a set amount of time, usually 10 seconds, the message (picture, etc) “disappears” after the person has viewed it. This gives the user a false sense of security, as “no one” can share or copy the message unless he or she does a “screenshot” before it disappears. (This alerts the user that it has been saved by a recipient, which also makes the user feel safe.) I hear a lot of “well we know when someone screenshots it and we know who…”. Unfortunately, the recipient now has control of what was sent out.
PARENTS SHOULD KNOW:
Parental monitoring software CANNOT monitor Snapchat
Apps are available for others to save image without their teens knowing
Sexting is a very real concern when teens use this app
If a teen is being bullying, the evidence is often deleted before he or she can show anyone
Snapchat also makes it easy for someone to be excluded from a group (cyberbullying)
If you hear the word “streak” it means that two user have snapchatted each other at least once a day for consecutive days- breaking a streak is negative
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INSTAGRAM allows the user to post pictures and videos. The user’s account can be public or private, in which there must be a “request to follow” sent in order to view a private user’s posts.
PARENTS SHOULD KNOW:
Just because an account is set to “private” does not mean that someone cannot just copy, save, or screenshot a picture that can then be forwarded on
It is very easy to bully someone using this app ex) mean comments on someone’s picture, taking a picture of someone and posting without their consent
Pictures or videos can be liked, commented on, shared or saved
A user’s “story” lets them share photos and videos that appear together as a slideshow
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YouTube allows the user to view videos that have been uploaded by other users. The user can also create a “channel” of their very own. Users can “like” or “dislike” a video, as well as comment on it. Users may “subscribe” to a channel and receive notifications when the owner uploads a new video to it.
PARENTS SHOULD KNOW:
There are settings available for a parent to block channels with adult material
There are privacy settings to make subscriptions and playlists private
YouTube has been found to have the most positive impact on teens as compared to other social platforms
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Facebook allows the user to connect with friends and family online. Users can upload pictures, videos, and comment on their “wall” or comment on another friend’s wall. Friend requests are sent out that may be accepted or ignored, and there are many settings available to make an account private.
PARENTS SHOULD KNOW:
Settings must be monitored to ensure that only friends will see information posted
If a user posts something and allows “Friends of Friends” to be able to see it, people that they may not know can see what they put out there
Even with privacy settings on, once something is posted, the user no longer has control of the post- it can be copied, shared, and saved by others, often without the user’s knowledge
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Twitter allows the user to post, read, and respond to others’ messages. Posts are called “tweets” and if a user shares a post with their own followers, it is called a “retweet”. Users can “follow” and be “followed”.
PARENTS SHOULD KNOW:
There is a way for the user to make their account private, and anyone who wishes to “follow” must send a request
Users can “tweet” up to 280 characters at a time, so each post’s length is limited
Users can tweet links to other websites that could potentially be inappropriate
Pinterest allows users to save “pins”, or images, and save them to “boards”, in which the user can categorize images that they wish to return to later.
What is a FINSTA? (FAKE + INSTAGRAM)
A FAKE second Instagram account- usually where the user can hide what they are really up to from parents or anyone else they wish to keep out of their business.
A note about…
VAULTS Vaults are using to hide pictures and videos from others. The apps are easily downloaded, and are password protected so only the owner can get to them- to find out if your child has a vault, go to their app store and look at what has been downloaded. Some of these apps are disguised as calculators and other smartphone tools- the calculator really works!
HouseParty
House Party allows users to simultaneously chat with up to 8 separate friends. Although chatting with 8 people all at once may sound chaotic or confusing, House Party creators used this potential issue to give their app a true “party-like” feel. Using a split screen feature, your device’s screen breaks into separate chat boxes–one for each member of your party.
House Party gives a “stranger danger” warning if an uninvited user sneaks into the chat.
From https://netsanity.net/what-is-house-party-app/
HONORABLE MENTIONS (other noteworthy apps)
KiK Kik is a free messaging service in which users have usernames. Phone numbers are not used, so it is easier to be anonymous. It has decreased in popularity, mostly due to other newer apps on the market.
Tumblr Tumblr is a social media platform for users to blog. Others can follow a particular user’s blog, and vice versa. Can include sensitive content.
WhatsApp? WhatsApp is the number 1 instant messaging app worldwide, with Messenger (Facebook) being 2nd. It uses the internet connection or data plan to message. This app uses the person’s phone number.
Whisper Whisper is an anonymous app that allows the user to post “secrets”. A location is used so that the “confession” is able to be seen by others in the same geographical area.
MyLOL
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that MyLOL is an app and website advertised for "teen dating" but is really meant for users over the age of 17. Users often post provocative, half-naked pictures of themselves and engage in flirty or even sexually explicit conversation. Chat topics also can include references to drug use, alcohol, or violence. Some users post their real names, IM handles, email addresses, and phone numbers. Read the privacy policy to find out about the types of information collected and shared. From (Common Sense Media-https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/mylol)
Omegle FROM THE WEBSITE…”The Internet is full of cool people; Omegle lets you meet them. When you use Omegle, we pick someone else at random so you can have a one-on-one chat.” Their slogan is “Talk To Strangers!”
"Anonymous chat site created by teen is too risky for kids." From Common Sense Media"
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