Kids are hooked on
social media and are always looking for the next big thing It’s not always easy
to find out about them and sometimes not easy to know if they are safe or not.
So, where are your kids hanging out today? Here are ten social networks that you probably
haven't heard of, but that your kids are using and some of the pitfalls.
1. Snapchat
Snapchat, widely nicknamed "the sexting app,"
lets you take photos or record video and share them with friends. The gimmick
is that images "self-destruct" seconds after they've been viewed.
Teens think Snapchat is a risk-free way to share
revealing or illegal photos with friends, but the recipient can save messages
by taking a screenshot. Hackers and
scammers have gotten very good at stealing private images off of people's
private computers and smartphones.
2. Kik
This messaging app is rated 17+ in app stores, but it's
become popular with tweens and teens. Because users are known only by their Kik
usernames, it's supposed to offer a private way to chat.
Like Snapchat, however, Kik is
associated with sexting. And because it's easy to stay anonymous on Kik, it's
become a favorite weapon for cyberbullies.
3. Tumblr
Tumblr is a blogging site that lets users share text, photo, video, quotes and
audio posts. The site has earned a reputation as an online hangout for creative
types. It’s no surprise it’s the blogging platform of choice for teens.
Tumblr is chock-full of content
that's inappropriate for kids. Tumblr does not restrict content and many sites
are filled with sexual content, offensive language and violence. Tumblr blogs
are public so anyone can read your kids’ blog posts.
4. Creepy
The name of this app says it all. It lets people pull geolocation data from
photos to pinpoint exactly where each picture was taken. A creep could easily
find out where your child lives, goes to school or hangs out from their shared
photos.
5. Pheed
Pheed is billed as a creative hangout where you can express yourself with text,
photos, videos, audio tracks and voice-notes. You can create live audio and
video broadcasts.
Pheed's live-streaming features
raise serious privacy concerns. You never know who is watching. Hackers and
online predators are out there, so make sure you talk your children about
what's appropriate to share and what isn't.
6. Vine
Vine is a free "micro-video" app that lets you
create short, six-second video clips and then share them on social networking
sites.
Making and sharing videos with Vine
is fun and most videos posted on the service are harmless. But there's still a
lot of adult content - images depicting nudity, drugs and violence - floating
around the service.
7. Ask.Fm
This social media site is huge with teens in Europe and it's starting to
gain popularity here too. You pose questions, or answer questions made by other
users. The anonymous and unmoderated site has no privacy controls. Your child
could be sharing personal information with bad people. The site has been linked
to cyberbullying and bullying-related teen suicide.
8. Oovoo
Oovoo is a free video chat service that works a lot like
Skype and Apple's Facetime. It blocks kids 13 and under from registering, but
it's easy for kids to lie about their age and set up an account. Like all video
chats, there's a real danger that kids can connect online with people they
don't know.
9. Path
Path is a newer social network that lets you share text, photos and video with
up to 150 friends. It's similar to Facebook, except instead of status updates
you share "moments." Path has
a location-tracking neighborhood feature, so make sure it's turned off if your
kids are on the site.
10. WhatsApp
Teens love this messenger app. WhatsApp lets you send unlimited texts,
videos, photos and short audio messages. Teens can chat with friends without
running up the phone bill
