Tinder, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Sarahah.
You name it.
Social media is everywhere all the time and it's more than likely you have a kid using on of these apps/websites or are using one yourself.
I'm about to break each app down for you and let you know what you actually need to be concerned about.
Snapchat
Snapchat is probably one of the hottest crazes currently with a lot of young people upset about the latest update.
Snapchat is an app used for sharing picturesque moments with friends and family.
The catch with apps like this(and why parents are concerned) is that you can send a picture that only lasts a few seconds and then it's gone "forever".
Parents are concerned about the ease to send and receive nude photos and other inappropriate content.
And I would be lying if I said people don't send nudes on snapchat.
The positive side of snapchat, is the ability to post your day-to-day life and share fun moments with friends, without it cluttering up a "webpage". You can post to your story or public stories(last 24 hours), or you can send personalized snaps to your friends and choose the length of time (1-10 seconds, and infinite).
All snaps sent can be screenshotted. So there is a potential risk that whatever you are sending could actually last forever.
Snapshat is personally one of my favorite apps.
I tend to delete old photos of my Instagram and this is an easy way to not worry about clutter. If people don;t want to watch your story, they don't have to. You get to choose whose stories you watch and it doesn't end up cluttered with a bunch of other feed.
I love the idea of sharing a moment through pictures. Even when I had a slide phone, I would send pictures of what I was doing to people. Snapchat just simplifies that.
In all actuality, Snapchat isn't really much of anything to worry about.
It is important to sit down with your children and warn them about the dangers of social media and how nude pictures can last forever.
Even seemingly-genuine people can have the wrong intentions and private things can be shared with the world.
But if your child is just using the app for the main purpose, to share the little moments, let them. It's a great way to connect with friends.
*Note: I am not suggesting young children use the app.
Sarahah
I put this one next because it is so imporatnt that parents know how popular and dangerous this app really is.
Sarahah was meant to be a place where employees could leave constructive criticism for their bosses without worrying about getting fired.
But now teens are using in ways that could result in terrible consequences.
Sarahah allows anyone to leave an anonymous message to you saying anything they want. And guess what, no one has to take responsibility for what they say.
So saying "kill yourself" "you're ugly" "nice tits", and other harassing and harmful messages can be left by anyone at anytime.
Young kids claim they have it so their friends can leave nice comments or maybe someone who has a crush will come forward and say they have feelings.
People post screenshots mainly on snapchat of what is left in their inboxes replying to each comment, numbering them.
And too often I see the bad, awful comments.
Nothing good comes from this app honestly.
It just another way for kids to bully others.
Your friends can say your pretty at any time. Why do they have to do it anonymously. The anonymous feature is for those who want to say things but do not want to suffer the consequences.
I refused to ever download the app, and even ended a relationship with a boyfriend I had over the summer, over his refusal to delete the app where many young girls were leaving inappropriate sexual messages.
DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN USE THIS APP
DO NOT
They could be bullied or be bullying others.
It's best to just stay safe on this one.
Tinder
Tinder is a dating app for ages 18+.
But it is not uncommon for 16/17 year olds to be found on this app.
Since it goes of your Facebook age and often kids get Facebook before they are 13, they can get an account early.
Now there are two side to the Tinder coin.
Yes there are real men and women on tinder looking for real genuine relationship.
There are groups of friends looking for other groups to hang out with.
And there are all men and women only looking for hookup.
The basis of tinder is to swipe left(not attracted) or swipe right(attracted) on the gender(s) of your choosing based on whether or not you are attracted to them. If both parties swipe right, you are matched.
You can also "super-like" someone, where they will be notified that you liked them with a blue star when your profile is shows up for them.
Every profile picture also gives a name, age, and school. Often college kids use it to find relationships or hookups.
You can set your age, gender, and distance preference in the settings. Each profile includes your facebook likes, a small about me, a few pictures, and even your fav song.
Normally people are pretty clear either in their profile or in their first few messages about what their intent is.
So if you don;t want a hookup, those can be easily avoided.
Their are many free dating apps like bumble and meetme. But often apps like those are crawling with creeps, so I would avoid.
If you are looking for a free dating app and also happen to be a young adult, I suggest tinder.
I have a lot fo friends who use it and I have even used it.
It's not a bad app and has a lot of negativity surrounding it.
But really, if you are feeling lonely, give it a try.
*Note: don't let your children use a dating app for 18+ lol
The Big Ones
Facebook, twitter and Instagram, hopefully you know enough about by now.
Especially Facebook.
Like every aged person beside young children have facebook.
All my grandmas have facebook.
All these apps are pretty teen friendly and you really shouldn't worry about as long as you have had a discussion about the dangers of the web with your kids and what is appropriate to post.
Watch out for twitter, it is a biggy for drama.
Final Notes
When letting your child/teen use a social media app//sire for the first time, it is so important to have a discussion about the dangers of the media and strangers online. It is important to share that people are not always who they say they are, and that they should never share personal information online.
It's important that they do not respond to random messages from strangers that they don't know and if they are ever unsure about something, to ask you first.
It is important to monitor your children's social media accounts, but is also important to give them a little bit of social freedom. Snapchat and twitter is where they get to rant about their days.
It is essential to establish trust between you and your children.
And it is important to understand that your children are not perfect.
Self-Worth
Social media plays such a big role on many young people's self-worth.
How many likes one gets strongly correlates with how good they feel about themselves.
It's a huge issue and causes many self-image issues, especially in young women.
The media is a breeding ground for self-hate.
SO be aware if your teens seem down lately. Be aware whenever they say hateful things about themselves.
Be aware of how real depression, anxiety, and suicide are becoming in our day-to-day world.
Just some food for thought,
Yours,
Truthtalks
@truthtalks
https://steemit.com/@truthtalks
February 12, 2018