7 Apps with Hidden Dangers: A Parental Guide to Save Kids from Social Media Addiction

Social media apps are more addictive than any other drug.

The overwhelming consumption of social media apps among teens and kids is perilous. These apps are highly addictive and keep kids hooked. Social media apps are deliberately created using manipulative and addictive technology and features to lure young and vulnerable minds.

These apps create an emotional dependency for their financial gains and trending game. These apps create a compulsive desire to stay connected virtually; using and exploitingpsychological triggers to generate fear of missing out and anxiety.

If you find your kids continually checking their phones, scrolling restlessly, clicking selfies, and spending most of theirtime on social media, then it’s the first symptom of glaring addictive behaviour and time for you to step in and protect your children from the dark and unforgiving side of social media. Therefore parents need to Monitor internet usage of Kids smart phone.

We Have Curated A List of Top Dangerous Social Media Apps You Need To Be Aware Of:

1. WhatsApp Messenger – Share Photos, Video, Voice Call & Much More

WhatsApp needs no introduction. It is an instant free messaging service. While it’s a great app for adults to stay in touch with loved ones, it is dangerous for kids and teens.

Messages sent in a group over what’s app can contain inappropriate content for kids. The recent rise in the trend of notorious suicide games like ‘Blue whale challenge” and “Momo challenge”, pushing teens to commit suicide has raised concerns over child safety.

Group messaging makes it easier for people to target and cyber bully young kids. Private messages, conversations, pictures can be shared and downloaded in a matter of seconds.

One of the major downsides of this messaging app is you can’t report sexual, violent, and hate messages as there is a loop in the security system. There’s no age restriction; anyone can create an account on this app. Kids and teens are the potential target for online sexual predators.

2. Snapchat – Multimedia Messaging App

Snapchat is a giant breakout photo and video sharing app with million active users around the globe. The bright side of using this app is unlike other social media apps like Instagram, Facebook, etc., the photos and videos shared by the user vanish after a certain point of time. The temporary nature of videos and photos make Snapchat a dark and dangerous place for kids, promoting ‘sexting’ and ‘pornography’. Users don’t have to worry about the consequences as everything will be gone in 30 seconds. However, those images can be saved and shared with others.

Snapchat has no privacy and can track a user’s location. Snapchat is a vulnerable place for kids and teens with bullies, stalkers, and sexual predators lurking around to target them.

3. Kik – Instant Messaging Mobile App

Kik is a viral chatting app among kids and teens. This social messaging app provides free and easy access to other users. Kik has received a lot of backlash due to violation of privacy. Any stranger can connect and contact your kids. There are many horrifying stories about this app doing rounds over the internet. This popular app has become a hub for sexual predators, spreading and sharing unsavoury content.

4. Tik Tok – A Short Video Sharing App

Tik Tok has earned quite a name for itself. This infamous lip-syncing and video sharing app has been recently banned in India for exposing kids to predatory behaviour.The app got under the radar of govt after receiving a lot of complaintsabout promoting pornography and self-harming videos.

5. Tinder – A Social Dating App

Tinder is a popular dating app among adults and teens. Tinder became a rage for providing instant gratification to users at just one swipe. Tinder is a perfect hunting ground for predators and paedophiles.

The app reveals a user’s exact locationso that the people can meet. Predators are looking and seeking this information for sexual encounters.

6. Yubo – A Social Media App

Yuboapp, formerly known as Yellow, encourages kids and teens to create live video rooms with up to 4 friends and an unlimited number of online viewers. The app promotes Sexual content, nudity, drugs and disguised hook-ups with strangers. Anybody can create an account on this app with no identity verification.

7. Instagram – Photo Sharing Platform

This app has been branded as the ‘Most dangerous’ social media app for kids and teenagers. This photo-sharing platform creates serious body issues, anxiety, and depression. Dealing with the mean and negative comments can be destructing for kids. Instagram promotes body-shaming and bullying as well. If your kid’s Instagram profile is public that doesn’t mean you can monitor all the activities. Instagram is also known as messenger app and people do talk with strangers over there.

Install Parent Monitoring App to Save Kids From Dangers.

Download TiSpy parental monitoring App to monitor all the online activities performed by your kid. The software stores all the information from the last login time to all the shared chats, images, and messages.

Effective Ways to monitor your kid’s social media life and activities

• If your kids are using one or more of these apps, then sit them down and educate them about the perils of using social media heedlessly and excessively.
• Discuss serious issues like cyberbullying, cyberstalking, body shaming, catfishing, online sexual harassment, online threats.
• Educate them about the dangers of revealing too much information on social media.
• Discourage them from using apps that let the user track their movements to avoid any unpleasant encounter with strangers.
• You must download apps to disable your kid’s phone ability to download apps without your permission