The Most Dangerous Apps for Kids in 2021
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Parents know teenagers like to keep their privacy and most of all don’t wont their parents to see what they place out on social media. So how secretive are they when teens want their parents to stay out of their business.
According to the Family Zone webpage, “Some teenagers will create ghost accounts on Instagram or Snap. This is a type of secondary social media account that kids use to hide from their parents. They’ll have their original profile, where they’ll accept their parents as friends, and then the second account is used to hide all their activity they know their parents won’t approve of.”
The webpage said some sites may contain inappropriate photos or posts and a network of random and unknown followers. ‘Less innocent teenagers use these accounts so they can publish all the photos their parents would disapprove of and also communicate with random people online. Girls are much more likely to create a ghost account as they’re more likely to seek validation in the form of compliments from the opposite sex.”
Apps like SnapChat can block people from seeing posts and there are two other tricks to look.” According to a recent post on SnapChat.
1. Changing usernames:
Users can alter the usernames of whoever they wish. Teens are the most prolific users of Snapchat. Even if parents check their child’s Snapchat followers, the child has the option to amend any random follower’s username to whatever they want. They do this so they can convince their parents that only their friends, peers and family follow them on Snapchat.
2. Secret screenshots:
There is a way for users to screenshot other users’ images without being found out. Snapchat is designed to alert users when someone has taken a screenshot of their Snap. It’s a feature used to maintain a user’s right to privacy. The glitch involves allowing a Snap to download and then turning the phone to Airplane mode. A user can then screenshot the Snap without Snapchat alerting the owner of the Snap. This glitch has been used for cyberbullying and revenge porn.
3. Secret message apps
According to the Family Zone web page, there are several popular secret message apps available on the App Store. Some are Telegram and Signal. These two are designed to send ‘self-destructing’ messages to other users. Facebook has also released a ‘Secret Message’ function to its own Messenger app that allows both ‘encrypted messages’ and self-destructing messages.
There are 15 more apps that teens have access to:
• MeetMe: A dating social media app that connects people based on location. Users are encouraged to meet in person.
• WhatsApp: A messaging app that allows texts, video calls, photo sharing and voicemails with users worldwide.
• Bumble: Similar to Tinder, but requires women to make the first contact. Law enforcement says kids and teens can create fake accounts and falsify their age.
• LiveMe: A live-streaming app that uses geolocation to share videos. The sheriff’s office said users can earn “coins” to “pay” minors for photos.
• ASKfm: The sheriff’s office said this app lets users ask anonymous questions and is known for cyberbullying.
• Grindr: A dating app geared toward the LGBTQ community based on user location.
• TikTok: A new app popular with kids lets users create and share short videos. Law enforcement said the app has “very limited privacy controls” and users can be exposed to cyberbullying and explicit content.
• Snapchat: One of the most popular social media apps in the world, Snapchat lets users take and share photos and videos. The app also lets people see your location.
• Holla: This self-proclaimed “addicting” video chat app lets users meet people in seconds. Law enforcement said users have seen racial slurs and explicit content.
• Calculator+: Police say this is one of several apps that are used to hide photos, videos, files and browser history.
• Skout: A location-based dating app that is supposed to prohibit people under 17 from sharing private photos. However, police say kids can easily create an account with a different age.
• Badoo: A dating and social media app where users can chat and share photos and videos based on location. Police say the app is supposed to be for adults only, but they’ve seen teens create accounts.
• Kik: Police say kids can bypass traditional text messaging features using this app. Kik “gives users unlimited access to anyone, anywhere, anytime,” the sheriff’s office said.
• Whisper: An anonymous social network that lets users share secrets with strangers. Police say it also shows users’ location so people can meet up.
• Hot or Not: The app lets users rate profiles, check out people in their area and chat with strangers
There is no one-size-fits-all way to monitor, and if you’re a parent who prefers to control what your adolescent can access and get reports on your adolescent’s activities, there are plenty of options. A parent must stay calm by educating themself by monitoring teen cell phone use. Check out on your kid’s phone what apps are used and if investigation is found with inappropriate action being taken out in social media.
