TECHNOLOGY moves so fast, it is hard to keep up.
If you think Facebook is still cool and Snapchat is a hip new way to share photos, you are well behind the times.
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Do you know what is in, what is out and, more importantly, what is SAFE?
Concerns over the biggest social media sites often focus on privacy and how our personal data is used. But a new generation of apps have brought with them fresh fears, especially for parents.
Names such as Tellonym, Omegle, MeetMe, Wishbone and Kik might not mean much to more mature social networkers. But the authorities DO know about them — and are worried about their influence.
Tellonym is accused of fuelling bullying, while Omegle and MeetMe have been branded playgrounds for groomers.
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Child-protection groups say adults should check kids’ phones to make sure they are not signed up for unsuitable apps.
Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, told The Sun: “Many app designers fail to stop underage children using their platforms. So it is vital parents take an active interest in what their kids are signing up to online.”
Laura Randall, NSPCC Associate Head of Child Safety Online, added: “New apps popular with young people are continually becoming available. Parents have a key role to play, by informing themselves of the possible risks from the latest apps and by having open conversations with their kids.”
Here we look at the new apps every parent should know about. We reached out to all the companies mentioned for comment.
Tellonym
IT encourages anonymous users around the world to give “honest” responses to posts. That is a green light for trolls.
Tellonym’s makers say: “See what your friends think of you, answer anonymous questions and ask others the things you have never dared before!”
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A mother from Rhyl, Denbighs, said her 14-year-old daughter tried to self-harm after she was sent cruel messages.
The foster carer found a message on Tellonym to her daughter saying: “Dice dem wrists hun” and calling her a “chicken”.
Tellonym has 8million users and is currently 15th in the social media download charts.
Wishbone
POPULAR with teenage girls, this fun-looking app offers users the chance to “compare anything” and see what others think.
It might ask: “Ariana Grande or Taylor Swift?”
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Once you have put in your answer, you can then see the percentage of people who chose one or the other.
But youngsters have complained about receiving unsolicited messages on Wishbone from dodgy men.
Some people use it to compare each other, discussing which person is “hottest”. That can lead to bullying online.
The app has a 12-plus age certification, similar to other social media sites such as Facebook.
Omegle
A “TALK to strangers” website that can contain adult material due to its unpredictable live-streaming of content.
There is a 13-plus age restriction but users younger than that have gained access.
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The NSPCC reported a female user aged 11 or 12 saying: “On Omegle, this man was pulling, touching and showing his privates.”
In June 2018, a Newcastle finance director was jailed after engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl he had contacted via the website.
Graham Moon, 53, who was described as a “predatory paedophile” by police, met the teenager just two weeks after grooming her online, using Omegle.
Meet Me
THE firm says it “helps you find new people nearby who share your interests”. But the app is a gift to groomers.
One parent reported a man using it to contact her teenage daughter, asking for sex.
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The smiley-face logo and promise to “chat with new friends” are enticing but the non-profit advisory group Common Sense Media describes it as a “creepy social network” with “racy photos” and “suggestive talk”.
There is a 17-plus age restriction, due to “infrequent/mild sexual content and nudity”, but younger users can easily get around that.
Users are required to enter lots of personal information, including their full name, age and location but you could simply make up these details.
Kik
FREE messaging app that reaches more than 300million people around the globe.
While it has a recommended 17-plus age certification, kids can sign up.
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There have been cases of paedophiles using Kik to share images of children.
Last month, Stephen Rawlinson, 56, from South Molton in Devon, was jailed for eight months after admitting three counts of making indecent images of children, which his son William, 27, then distributed on Kik.
Despite riding high in the app download charts, the company behind Kik is struggling for cash and last month said it would wind up the messaging arm.
