Popular Apps Parents Should Know About

Life on the Internet changes quickly, and kids (and us parents, TBH) are more connected than ever. Tech is now a part of our lives for good, so the best thing we can do as parents and changemakers in our communities is to educate ourselves so that we can help children use it safely. Below, we round up 20 popular apps parents should know about - a great resource to share with your school community during Digital Citizenship Week, and a good dinner time conversation starter for your own family (though your tween might be mortified at what you know! 🫢).

If your group is looking for a way to promote good digital citizenship, our Family Tech Talk program is a free parent education event that helps parents learn the risks kids face online in an AI driven world. Hosted by an Internet safety expert, parents will learn the latest scams targeting kids and teens, how AI is making these scams more convincing, and actionable steps to safeguard their family. Join hundreds of other schools for this important webinar, offered on select dates throughout the school year.

 

Share the above graphic on your school's Facebook or Instagram: Use this "20 Apps Parents Should Know About" Canva template

Discord

Discord allows users to talk to friends or strangers in real-time via voice, text, or video chat. While Discord used to be for gamers only, users now include those with interests like anime, music, and more. It is also used as a group-chat tool for friends and a way for gamers to chat with friends while they play together. Discord also has NSFW channels that require users to be 18 or older, but it's easy to click through the verification. 

 

TikTok

TikTok is a popular social media app that allows users to watch and create videos. By default, all accounts are set to public. Users are also able to view all content without creating an account. TikTok features multiple feeds, including "For You," (#fyp) which generates a stream of videos using the algorithm. It's easy to encounter inappropriate content on the public feed, even with a private account.  

 

Snapchat

Snapchat is a messaging app that lets users exchange pictures and videos, called snaps, that are meant to disappear after they're viewed. Users can also add filters, lenses, or other effects to media and share it with friends. Snapchat also allows users to see your location and offers group chats that everyone in a group can contribute to. “Snap Map” displays your location on a map in real time to your Snapchat friends, which is problematic if Snapchat contacts are not real friends. Some kids are using the app to send racy pics because they believe the images can't be saved and circulated, however, pics don't completely disappear from a device and users can take a screenshot before an image vanishes.

 

Spotify

Spotify is a music streaming service that provides access to albums, songs, playlists, and podcasts. Risks parents often don't realize include accessing pornographic content, such as a searchable genre called "porn rap", ASMR in the form of sexual podcasts, inappropriate images, and more.

 

Roblox

Roblox is an online gaming platform where users can play games designed by others or create and share their own. Be aware of in-app purchases, chat features, "condo" games and using "signs" to communicate if chat is blocked.

 

Among Us

Among Us is an online multiplayer social deduction game that takes place in a space-themed setting. With multiplayer games , your child may be playing with strangers who can share messages throughout the game. In 2020, a hacker sent disturbing messages and also messaged players to visit his YouTube channel and server, which contained gore, racist language, and pornography.

 

BeReal

BeReal is a social media app that gives users 2 minutes to upload real content of themselves. At a random time each day, all users receive a notification that it’s time to "be real" and gives users 2 minutes to share photos of their daily lives with no edits and no filters. All photos are unedited. Users can choose to publish their photo privately, for friends only, or for all BeReal users around the world. 59% of BeReal users have been exposed to sexual content while using the app (source: Protect Young Eyes, 2023).

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that can answer questions, write content, brainstorm ideas, and more. 

 

ASKfm

With the tagline "Meet and date with over 411 million people",  Ask.fm is a question-and-answer site that is popular among 13- to 17-year olds. Users must be at least 13 years old and can ask other users questions with the option of anonymity, which can lead to cruel behavior and cyberbullying. Ask.fm content is not monitored. 

 

Tinder

Tinder is a matchmaking app that allows users to swipe through potential connections based on location and shared interests. The geo-location features and anonymous nature put kids at risk for catfishing, stalking, and more.

 

Reddit

Reddit is a social news site and app where users create and share content without any identity verification. Within the site, there are communities called subreddits for different interests and any user can create a subreddit. It's easy for users to find exactly what they want, but this means they may come across communities that could potentially shape how they think in a negative or extreme way. Reddit also has a section that contains pornographic content.  

 

Calculator%

The Calculator% app icon looks like a typical calculator. However, when a user opens it and types in a passcode, it opens a hidden vault of photos that do not show up anywhere else on the user's device, making it easy for kids to hide things from parents who may be checking their child's device.  

 

HOLLA

HOLLA is free, live video chat app that randomly matches people across the globe. Users swipe left or right on profiles to accept or decline live chats (if two users both swipe right, they’re a “match” and can connect via text chat, voice call, or a live video call).  HOLLA’s terms of service state that they can monitor for nudity, weapons, etc., but there is little control over what can happen during a live video chat.

 

Blendr

Blendr uses location technology to introduce users to new acquaintances in their vicinity.

 

KIK

KIK is an anonymous instant messenger app (that caters to teens) that allows anyone to contact and direct message your child. Kik allows users to send texts, videos and photos anonymously, making sharing of sexually explicit material and cyberbulling rampant within this app. Once messages are deleted, they are irretrievable. 

 

Zoomerang

Zoomerang is a video creator that allows users to create short videos and apply filters, special effects and music, and share on social media. It also uses location tracking. 

 

MeetMe

MeetMe is a social media dating app that connects users with people based on geographic proximity, making the predator risk very real. Users can create an account by using an email address or an existing Facebook account, and once registered, can create a profile and message other MeetMe members. Users can also browse through the newsfeed of nearby people.   

 

Clubhouse

Clubhouse is an audio-only chat app for group messages between friends, featuring chat rooms where users can drop in to listen to live conversation (like a voicemail that’s open to anybody you allow to join in). Users record a voice message and send that chat to friends, who can then add their own voice recordings to create a voice-only conversation. Chats can be set to “friends only” or “friends-of-friends” to expand the group.

 

Whisper

With the tagline "Share, Express, Meet," Whisper is an anonymous social network that encourages users to share secrets with strangers.  Whisper can be used without an account, reveals a user's location so people can meet up, and allows sexually explicit content.

 

Houseparty

Houseparty connects friends through live video chats, texts and group games. There's no screening and video is live, so there is a chance of kids being exposed to inappropriate content.