Parents and guardians should be aware of the technological dangers that lurk behind smartphone apps. It’s all too easy for your child to get their hands on the wrong apps.
Just like internet usage should be monitored, smartphone apps should be monitored regularly. Kids can be using many different websites and apps without anyone noticing, and serious dangers abound within InternetLand. It is for that reason that you should consider the following dangerous apps taboo for children inside and outside your home. They may seem innocent, but they can pose a serious danger.
Tinder
Tinder is a dating app. This is used by people who want to find romance and more. Children can easily become victims of exploitation. They may also be exposed to images that are adult in nature. The reason this is dangerous outside of the initial concept is that there is no way to verify identity or age within the app. It uses a social media connection to check age, and that’s something scammers focus on. Children and adolescents should be warned of the dangers of these types of applications that can easily become a serious problem. This is often considered a “hookup” app, which is definitely worth noting.
Climbing plant
Video apps abound, but this is one of the most popular. This may seem like an innocent communication tool. However, there is a great deal of danger with this app. Teenagers and young children can be on the receiving end of videos that are nothing short of explicit. Also, there are many videos that can cause serious repercussions. One need only look at the #Firechallenge frenzy that has occurred in recent memory to see how this site could pose a danger to children and teens. There is a Vine app for kids, but it can be easily ignored in favor of the more adult version. Parents should monitor, befriend, and be aware of downloads and usage of apps like this.
Snapchat
This app is all about disappearing short videos. Videos are only a few seconds long and you can record them and send them to someone else. Once sent and viewed, they are supposed to be deleted. The notion of temporary has led many to send risky images, videos and more. Children can be exposed to adult content quickly, under the guise of temporary content. Snapchat has come under fire before, as it’s easy to exploit children and teens, exchanging pictures with each other. In previous years, hackers even stole millions of videos and photos and posted them on websites. However, it is difficult to monitor children and teenagers using this app, reminding them that uploading videos or photos can easily end up in public. In fact, it has already happened multiple times with Snapchat, Vine, and other social media apps.
kik messenger
A distant cousin of AOL Instant Messenger, Kik is a mobile-only app that allows members to chat with others. Teens and kids love this app as it is mobile only, seemingly private and easy to use. However, just like the days of AIM, it can easily be used by predators to search for children, send images, and more. It can be used for sexting and much more. While any messaging service can be used this way, KiK is extremely popular with teenagers and young children.
Whisper
This is a pretty innocent looking app. People download the app and post anonymous secrets. The downside is that the user’s geographic locations can be displayed. Due to the nature of sharing secrets, it is easy for predators to form relationships with children and adolescents. Several cases have been in the news in which people have met through the application. It can pose a serious danger.
application down
Perhaps one of the most nefarious applications, this can really pose a danger. It connects to Facebook and segments friends into those who are interested in just being friends or those who are “down” for sex. A strange “hookup” app that pretends to be anonymous can easily turn out to be dangerous. Parents should not allow children to download or use this app.
9GAG
This site is a social networking site that distributes images of all kinds. Images are uncensored, without moderation, and can easily become explicit. While this may seem like an innocent humor app, it can easily become a tool for dangerous behavior. In some cases, SWAT teams have been called to locations with a connection to this app.
The Internet can be a fun and safe place to learn, laugh, and play. The apps above are just some of the most popular ones. You may also want to search on Poof, Omegle, Yik Yak, and others as well.
With the advent of apps like the ones mentioned above, it can easily be used for the wrong purposes. It is imperative that parents read up on apps like the ones mentioned to make sure they are keeping children out of harm’s way.
Explicit images, videos, chat and more are now just a button press away. Let’s stay tuned.