I consider myself to still be pretty young. Okay, maybe not *that* young, but I still feel pretty hip. I recently attended a conference with a breakout session speaking on new apps that teens are downloading. I was shocked at what teens are downloading and sending to each other all with their parents never knowing! My exact thought in my head was, “you’re kidding me!” If you have a pre-teen or teen in the house, you may want to take a second (or first) look at their phone or tablet and check the apps they have. Teens are leaving Facebook for platforms and apps where mom and dad are less likely to find them.
- Snapchat
Snapchat is a way for users to send pictures and short videos to friends without having the risk for others to see them. Pictures and videos self-destruct after being watched. Unfortunately, that’s not exactly the way it goes. Pictures and videos CAN in fact, be saved. A simple screen shot can turn what one person thought would be private into a completely public and possibly viral post.
- Whisper
Whisper allows you to post secrets anonymously and also allows you to chat with other users in your area. Many kids are drawn to this app thinking that their secrets are safe with a stranger. This app is a perfect place for predators and the worst part is it all stays anonymous.
- Vine
Vine allows users to post and watch six second videos. Many of the videos are harmless. However, it can be common for kids to come across sexually explicit material. It’s very easy for predators to find your location on these apps. While they cannot contact you through Vine, they may use other messaging apps to attempt to contact you.
- Tinder
Tinder users can post pictures of themselves and scan through pictures of other users. If you think someone is attractive, you can “flag” the picture. If both of you have a “flagged” picture, you can contact each other through private messaging. These types of apps are primarily used for “hooking up”.
- Poof
Poof gives you the ability to hide other apps on your phone. You simply select the apps you want to hide and Poof, they are hidden. If your kids want to hide apps from you, all they need to do is download Poof. If you see the Poof app on their phone, you may want to start asking questions.
As a parent, you are not being nosey, you are being responsible. It may be a good idea to establish some family media rules. How about having the kids ask for permission to download a new app. Or, you could set up a family charging station. This would be a great place to take a quick little look at their phone or tablet. Remember that your child’s safety is more important than their privacy.
