When you think about social media, what pops into your head? If the only thing that comes to mind is Facebook, you need to broaden your horizons — especially if you have kids. Social media apps have infiltrated everyone’s lives, and it’s not just the social media giant created by Zuckerberg that should be on your radar.
Today’s parents are asking themselves all kinds of questions regarding the worst apps for kids. Things like is Omegle dangerous? Is the Amino app safe? And more importantly, what on earth is an Omegle?
If these questions are boggling your mind too, and if you want to know all about dangerous apps for teens so you can steer your kids in other, safer directions, read on.
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The Worst Apps for Kids & Why You Shouldn’t Stay Away
There are a bunch of social media apps parents should know about — almost too many to list. That’s why we had our parental control experts dive deep into dozens of apps in an effort to make sure they’re safe. Today, we’re bringing you the most dangerous apps for kids.
While these apps aren’t designed to take advantage of kids, they’re loaded with hidden dangers that every parent should know about. So don’t hesitate to check out the list of social media apps that can harm your child.
Omegle
What it does: The app with the strange name also has a strange offering. By signing up, you can participate in unmoderated video chats, adult video chats, or monitored video chats. You can also choose to participate in text chats.
Why people love it: Because Omegle offers a unique, random experience, it’s able to differentiate itself from other chat apps to keep things interesting. In a world where we’re all craving something new, Omegle looks attractive on the surface.
Why it’s dangerous: Is Omegle dangerous? Some say yes, especially because you never know who is going to be on the other end. And many parents report that the app contains tons of live nudity. The app comes with a warning that no one under 18 should use it without parental supervision, but those warnings are likely to go unheeded by curious kids. As a result, Omegle becomes the number one child predators app.
What it does: WhatsApp lets users on any mobile device chat with friends on other devices. That means if you have an iPhone, you can chat in real-time with users on Android. And all you need is their phone number to get the conversation going.
Why people love it: Within a group of friends, you’ll find different types of devices. With WhatsApp, no one in the group will feel left out of the conversation, unlike what might happen if some of their peers use iMessage and others prefer text or an Android-only solution.
Why it’s dangerous: On the surface, WhatsApp doesn’t seem like it belongs on the list of dangerous apps for kids. But the truth is there are lots of red flags. For example, anyone can contact your kid just by knowing their phone number. In fact, predators can enter random numbers, initiate chats, and see what sticks.
Bumble
What it does: A popular dating app among women and men, Bumble is designed to give women the upper hand by letting them be the first to initiate contact.
Why people love it: Women of dating age enjoy the app because they get to make the first move and weed out the creeps.
Why it’s dangerous: Kids have been known to use the app, registering with fake names and ages.
Calculator%
What it does: No, that’s not a typo. Calculator% is one of the secret apps that look like games. It lets users hide videos, files, and even their search and browser history from others.
Why people love it: If you have files, pics, and vids you don’t want others to see, Calculator% might be a good place to hide them.
Why it’s dangerous: Kids love this app because it lets them hide things from their parents. But there’s a false sense of security in that. The hidden content still lives on their phone and could very well fall into the wrong hands.
Whisper
What it does: Whisper bills itself as an app to help you discover what people around you are really thinking. There are approximately 30 million users worldwide.
Why people love it: The social networking app lets users connect with others who might share similar interests.
Why it’s dangerous: Whisper reveals a user’s location in real-time, making it easy for people to meet up. But that could prove dangerous with predators and cyberbullies on the app.
Snapchat
What it does: One of the most popular chat apps around, Snapchat gained popularity by pioneering disappearing messages.
Why people love it: Disappearing messages make it easy to send content that might seem controversial.
Why it’s dangerous: Is Snapchat dangerous for kids? Partly, yes. The disappearing messages feature gives users a false sense of security, making them think that messages sent through Snapchat are secure. While users are notified if someone takes a screenshot, there are other methods of obtaining images from Snapchat without the sender knowing, like taking a pic of the screen with another camera.
Kik
What it does: An instant messaging app, Kik lets users communicate with one another across any mobile phone platform.
Why people love it: To register for a Kik account, only your first name, last name, and email address are required — all information that users can fake. There’s no requirement to enter a phone number and prove that you have a working mobile phone.
Why it’s dangerous: Is Kik safe? A look back at its history should help you draw your own conclusions. A few years ago, back in 2018, BBC reported that there had been more than 1,100 child sexual abuse cases in a 5-year span on the instant messaging platform.
Holla
What it does: Holla is a random video messaging app designed for people who want to video chat with strangers and “meet fun people” (their words, not ours).
Why people love it: For extroverts who love to socialize face-to-face, it’s definitely a fun option.
Why it’s dangerous: You never know who you’re going to meet on the other end, including cyberbullies waiting to harass you. This is especially problematic for kids.
MeetMe
What it does: If you’re looking to meet up with real people near you, MeetMe is designed to help facilitate that.
Why people love it: MeetMe blurs the line between online chats and real-world encounters by letting people meet online and then meet in person. For people craving real-life connections, this one is attractive.
Why it’s dangerous: The person you met online might prove to be someone different in the real world. For kids, this could prove to be incredibly dangerous.
TikTok
What it does: TikTok lets users create and share short videos for a global audience.
Why people love it: Users who crave validation love TikTok because it invites people to like their content, comment on it, and even replicate it with their own spin.
Why it’s dangerous: Because almost anyone can see their videos, kids can be exposed to unwanted attacks and cyberbullying through messages and comments. So, yes, TikTok is on the list of dangerous social media apps.
Likee
What it does: Likee is basically TikTok, but taken to the next level, enabling users to create short videos with cool effects, stream their content live, take challenges, and share with friends.
Why people love it: This social media app lets users express themselves in bold, new ways that other social video communities have yet to replicate.
Why it’s dangerous: Is the Likee app safe? Not entirely. Likee has a gifting feature, allowing viewers to send content creators kudos for their videos. While a good idea on the surface, the gifting concept is every predator’s grooming dream.
Find Out If They’re Using Dangerous Apps for Kids
We know. It can be tough navigating the growing world of social media. It seems like kids use a billion apps, join a billion different communities, and make billions of friends along the way.
That’s where mSpy comes in. Once installed on their device, you’ll be able to see which apps they’re using, what they’re saying in those apps, what videos and pics they’ve shared, and so much more. It’s an incredibly powerful tool to help you find out if they’re using the apps parents should know about in a way that’s easy for any parent to use.
