When it comes to online safety, staying updated on the friend list of your child’s Facebook account is not enough anymore. Parents have to stay more updated on the trendy apps today. Parents should ban some apps from being abused by children. According to the Statistica, in the first quarter of 2021, there are;
- 3.48 million apps for Android users on Google Play Store.
- 2.22 million apps for iOS users on Apple Store
- 0.66 million apps for Windows users on Windows Store
It is impossible to go through these millions of apps, but the best cell phone monitoring app | TheWispy can help in this scenario. We have selected the five most unsafe apps for kids.
Read along to know which new apps kids are flocking to.
Highlights of Smartphone Apps:
Parents should know the following things about apps on their child’s cell phone;
- Kids can rename the apps and change their icons on any smartphone.
- They can hide apps with innocent-looking shortcuts or install other hiding apps.
5 Unsafe Apps For Kids:
Houseparty:
About:
Houseparty is a virtual hanging place for up to 10 people at a time. Kids share live videos and real-time texts. Its popularity grew during the pandemic as a safe means of staying in touch. It is an open chatting app.
Unsafe Reason:
Although it’s a friendly app, it is considered an unsafe app for kids. The unscreened live video streaming can become problematic when kids share inappropriate content. Users can save screenshots, and they can send links to inappropriate sites. Friends of friends can join a private group chat. Not only that, but Houseparty uses personal information to create a contact list like phone, Facebook, etc. Monitoring apps for Android can help a great deal to parents delete such malicious apps.
Ask.FM:
About:
The format of this app is question/answer type. Ask.FM has been linked to many controversies worldwide. Kids question and answer anonymously.
Unsafe Reason:
Ask.fm is a 13+ rated app popular in Europe mainly but flourishing in the US. Cyberbullying is the main reason for keeping it under the unsafe list of apps. The death of a young girl (age 12 years) from Florida occurred by committing suicide due to nasty comments like “go kill yourself, why are you not dead yet,” etc. British schools are sending warning letters to parents about this app. There are multiple bullying incidents due to a lack of monitoring and regulations. Although Ask.fm has recently added a report abuse button, it didn’t change the fact that it is the perfect place to get bullied, leading to suicidal behaviors.
Kik Messenger:
About:
Kik is another popular real-time texting app similar to Whatsapp and TextNow. The text and pictures can be sent and received without leaving traces on phone memory. The privacy setting is vague in Kik.
Unsafe Reason:
Kik is rated as 17+ ages, but there is no means of age verification while installing the app. It allows users to interact without using their mobile numbers instead of their names. It pops the question, why do kids want to text strangers (people other than their contact list)? Many reviews of Kik reveal that people use it primarily for sexting. Children can conveniently hide it from their parents. It brings the need for kids to monitor apps to instate in their mobiles. Strangers, including pedophiles, can send a friend request to your child and misuse their profile information.
Poof:
About:
Apps like Poof are not social media apps. Poof is used to hiding away other apps installed on the mobile. Poof intended to clear the clutter from mobile screens. Instead, it is used to disappear the icons of unauthorized apps on the smartphone. It is no surprise that Poof has landed on the most unsafe list for kids.
Unsafe Reason:
If you have a tech-savvy teenager or you have asked your kids to stop using specific apps, Poof may become their friend. By installing this terrible app, teenagers may stash away questionable apps and violent games from showing on their screens. It is similar to hijacking your device to lift restrictions. Therefore, monitoring apps for Android is a must to know a complete picture of your kid’s apps.
Whisper App:
About:
Whisper is an app for sharing anonymous secrets with other anonymous users and chatting with people in your region. The anonymity of this app has become a danger to children. Although the app is rated for 17+ ages, it can be used by anyone younger than the age limit. The Motto of Whisper was to share secrets, meet new people, and self-expression.
Unsafe Reason:
Whisper reminds us of the discontinued app named PostSecret due to its abusive content. Washington reported an incident in 2013 where a 12-year-old girl met a 21-year-old man through Whisper. He lured her to a motel and date-raped her.
Children are naive to think their secrets are safer with strangers than their peers, which is why they tend to attract some ill-intentioned strangers. Pedophiles in your geographical area can exchange messages with your child. Hence, there is no anonymity. The personal content can go viral in a matter of time through Whisper.
Next Move For Parents:
Converse With Your Child:
Talk to your child, check which apps they are using, and study those apps. Ask them if they have faced any trouble like cyberbullying or sexual harassment.
Use Tracking App for Android:
There are plenty of monitoring tools readily available online that benefit you. A kids monitoring app provides comprehensive tools to safeguard your kid from harmful apps to their mental and physical health. They allow kids location tracking, blocking unauthorized apps, and monitoring calls, texts, and multimedia.
Tips for Protecting Your Child Online:
According to PEW research, 14.9 percent of students have experienced cyberbullying. Another study in 2013 by PEW showed that 39 percent of teenagers admitted that they have lied about their age to gain access to accounts.
Here are some tips for parents to cover some concerns.
- Set age limits on children’s devices to restrict access to apps with specific age ratings.
- Ask your child to immediately inform you if they are experiencing bullying or receiving threats online.
- Impose rules regarding joining any social media community or downloading apps. They should seek permission from their parents first.
- Educate your child not to share passwords with anyone.
- Stay updated. You can’t filter every app, and your teen will find a new platform that you are not aware of. Evaluate apps installed on your child’s smartphone.
Tips for Conversation Starter:
Instead of hoovering your child or barring your child from using mobile phones, sit down, start a conversation with them and set general rules to keep them safe. Explain why you find it necessary to question them and check their mobiles, including privacy settings.
Children may not know the repercussions of disclosing personal information online. Start a conversation with;
- Why would they want to disclose their secrets to unknown people?
- If you are struggling with something, strangers can’t advise you as they don’t know your reasons.
- Do you feel safe accepting strangers’ help or friendship?
- What kind of things do people post anonymously?
- Do you like to bully others? Or how do you feel about being the target of a bully?
- Does a specific app bring you gratification? How?
Parents need to speak to their children continually about online safety.
Closing Thoughts:
Keeping children safe online is a matter of concern for most parents. Best cell phone monitoring software can spot the ways of monitoring. The digital world opens excellent opportunities for learning and staying connected with friends and family. Still, it can bring harm to kids that parents never anticipated.
Tracking apps for Android can filter out apps filled with adult content, violence, and cyberbullying. Their covers cannot judge the application; child predators are sitting to molest your child’s innocence. Stay updated and keep the apps mentioned above away from your child’s reach.
Tweet:
The scary truth is child molesters are not found at bus stops anymore. They are waiting for an opportunity to enter your child’s bedroom through cell phones. Stay aware of unsafe apps to avoid the possibility of cyberbullying and violent content.
Comments:
- I agree with the writer that hundreds of apps are created daily, making it harder to keep track of them. Many of them are loaded with child molesters and harassers. I need to check my child’s handheld gadgets as a parent constantly.
- Parents need to be aware of these apps’ tricks. I have known many children from my neighbourhood who have fallen prey to cyberbullying.
- Thanks for such an informative article. I needed jumping-off points to start a conversation with my teenager. These tips would help me a great deal.
