A Comprehensive Guide to Children's Apps That Could Be Dangerous

Tue, Sep 21, 2021 8:33 PM Internet Bundles Broadband Deals Eco-Friendly

You may recognize some of the apps on your child's phone. They're the simple ones. We know their color and graphic avatars with the small random on the white backdrop and other simple backgrounds. We may have discussed the app or even used one or two of the apps ourselves. TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, WhatsApp, Kik, and Instagram are just a few examples. There are photo apps (PicsArt, VSCO, Facetune) as well as games ( Fortnite, Minecraft, The Sims). We may not agree with all of the applications, but we've probably discussed the risks and are okay with how your children use them.

It's easy to get a false sense of security regarding what apps our kids are utilizing because of universal awareness.

And then there are apps on your child's phone that you are unaware of - and there are a lot of them. Instead of dismissing your issue because you don't understand the app or don't have the energy to start an argument, think about pausing next time to take a deeper look. If you have any concerns, address them as quickly as possible.

Potentially Malicious Apps

Here are a few non-mainstream apps that kids use that you may not be aware of but should investigate further. Please keep in mind that any app has the potential to be abused. The apps listed below are used on a daily basis for communication, entertainment, and harmless fun. Here is a handful that this author has dealt with, as well as several that have been widely reported in the media.

Quick Tip: A youngster may bury an app inside a folder or behind other apps on their home screens, making it more difficult to locate. You can generally obtain a fast glance of all the apps on a phone by heading into settings in either iOS (Settings > General > iPhone Storage) or Android (Google Play Store > Apps >All).

Anonymous Profiles

For a variety of reasons, internet anonymity is a concern. Yolo, Tumblr, and Tellonym, as well as Omegle, YikYak, Whisper, LMK, and MeetMe, are just a few of the apps to keep an eye out for. Many of these applications are chat apps that are used to connect with new people in real life (IRL). When applications allow anonymous profiles, however, tracing incorrect information, threats, or bullying situations becomes nearly impossible.

Safe Family Tip: Children are so enthralled by making new friends and experiencing new things that they are oblivious to the risks. Discuss concerns that may develop when people hide behind anonymous names and profiles (catfishing, sextortion, scams, bullying, etc.). Give specific examples from the news where these apps have been linked to catastrophic consequences if necessary.

Inflammatory Content

With so much of your life stored on your phone, installing security software can help safeguard you and the information you store on it. Mobile security software can protect your data, shopping, and payments whether you use an Android or an iOS device.

Privacy, Safety Gaps

If settings and monitoring are neglected, almost every program has privacy flaws. Apps like Game Pigeon, Live.Me and Zoomerang (among many others) may, however, have flaws in terms of age verification, location tracking, and personal data protection. Potential predators may be able to gain access to children through these gaps, which increases the risk of cyberbullying.

Sit down with your kids and go over any strange apps, then utilize parental controls to keep track of all family device use.

Secrecy

If a child wants to keep a hidden activity or content from their parents, they will most likely find a way to do it. Encryption apps (apps that scramble content to outside sources) like WhatsApp, Proton VPN, ProtonMail, Telegram, and Signal are some of the apps youngsters use to hide games, photographs, and texts. Vault apps (apps that can be disguised, concealed, or locked) include Calculator, Vault, HideItPro, App Locker, and Poof, among others.

If you discover one of these apps on your child's phone, be cool. It's natural for children to desire seclusion. If the stuff you see is potentially harmful, educate your child that no content is completely secret, even if it is stored in a vault app. Furthermore, commit to continuous communication that builds trust, and consider defining safety expectations for devices, which may include parental controls, jointly.

Geotagging

Some apps, particularly dating apps, need users to consent to geotag in order to link them with individuals in their vicinity. Your children may be using Yubo, a dating app similar to Tinder that requires location to use. Live. Another geotagging app is Me.

Safe Family Tip: Talk to your youngster about why location applications (and dating apps) are problematic. Sharing their meeting place and time For many children, In Real Life (IRL) has become the norm. Remind them of the dangers of this type of behavior, and work together to establish new boundaries.

Extremist Ideas

Kids can get themselves into some dangerous, dark corners on the internet. They might learn about a community forum or app from a friend and be blown away by how unique and cutting-edge it is. While there are lots of innocent discussions on these applications, places like Discord, Reddit, and Twitch have apparently hosted communities with extremist ideas that target children.

Be mindful of any changes in behavior in your family. Discuss with your children the vast diversity of values and agendas advocated on the internet, how to think critically about conversations and information, and, most crucially, how to recognize these communities.