The internet can be a dangerous place, especially for children. Together with our partner PhoneKick, we’ve complied a list of just some of the most dangerous apps for children to use on their mobile phones.
What are you waiting for? Summon your kids and check they don’t have these apps installed…
Kik
According to McAfee, there’s a few reasons why this app is so popular with children:
- Because users are allowed to create anonymous accounts
- The app does not require users to verify age in any way
- Parents who monitor texting, email, and networks like Instagram and Twitter usually skip looking for Kik altogether
- Kik has a built-in web browser, games, and video access, which makes it a self-contained social network that is a fun place to hang out for teens
The messaging app also has a groups section, allowing anyone to join. However, some groups can be a breeding ground for paedophiles – with indecent images being shared and swapped.
Hot or Not
This is a big no-no for children; there’s no age verification process meaning anyone can pretend to be anyone. The app does segregate under 17s from the over 18s section of the app, but that doesn’t stop users simply selecting a different age when registering and using photos of someone else.
The app encourages young people – of all genders – to upload photos of themselves which would cause other users to press the ‘hot’ button, rather than the ‘not’ button. Worrying.
It has a messaging feature, and all users need is an email address to sign up – eek.
Whisper
Children can very easily communicate with strangers via Whisper, sharing personal information about their life. The app allows users to talk send messages only to people near to you – putting children at real risk of grooming by local ill-intentioned strangers.
Skout
Skout doesn’t have a verification process, so again, users can pretend to be someone they’re not.
This app, and similar apps such as Down, Tinder, Pure, and Blendr, are primarily used for hooking up with others. Some segregate under 18s, from over 18s, but some don’t allow under 18s on the platform.
