17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook

Gone are the days of Facebook as a one-stop shop for all social-networking needs. While it may seem more complicated to post photos on Instagram, share casual moments on Snapchat, text on WhatsApp, and check your Twitter feed via the day, tweens and teenagers love the diversity.

You don’t need to know the ins and outs of all the apps, sites, and terms that are "hot" right now (and frankly, if you did, they wouldn’t be stylish anymore). But knowing the basics — what they are, why they’re popular, and what problems can crop up when they’re not used responsibly — can make the difference inbetween a positive and a negative practice for your kid.

Below, we’ve laid out some of the most popular types of apps and websites for teenagers: texting, microblogging, live-streaming, self-destructing/secret, and talking/meeting/dating. The more you know about each, the better you’ll be able to communicate with your teenage about safe choices.

The bottom line for most of these instruments? If teenagers are using them respectfully, appropriately, and with a little parental guidance, they’re mostly fine. So take inventory of your kids’ apps and review the best practices.

GroupMe is an app that doesn’t charge fees or have boundaries for direct and group messages. Users also can send photos, movies, and calendar links.

What parents need to know

It’s for older teenagers. The embedded GIFs and emojis have some adult themes, such as drinking and hookup.
Teenagers are always connected. Without fees or boundaries, teenagers can share and text to their heart’s content, which may mean they infrequently put the phone down.

Kik Messenger is an app that lets kids text for free. It’s prompt and has no message thresholds, character thresholds, or fees if you only use the basic features. Because it’s an app, the texts won’t demonstrate up on your kid’s phone’s messaging service, and you’re not charged for them (beyond standard data rates).

What parents need to know

Stranger danger is an issue. Kik permits communication with strangers who share their Kik usernames to find people to talk with. The app allegedly has been used in high-profile crimes, including the murder of a 13-year-old lady and a child-pornography case. There’s also a Kik community blog where users can submit photos of themselves and screenshots of messages (sometimes displaying users’ utter names) to contests.
It’s loaded with ads and in-app-purchases. Kik specializes in "promoted talks" — basically, conversations inbetween brands and users. It also offers specially designed apps (accessible only through the main app), many of which suggest products for sale.

WhatsApp lets users send text messages, audio messages, movies, and photos to one or many people with no message thresholds or fees.

What parents need to know

It’s for users sixteen and over. Lots of junior teenagers seem to be using the app, but this age minimum has been set by WhatsApp.
It can be pushy. After you sign up, it automatically connects you to all the people in your address book who also are using WhatsApp. It also encourages you to add friends who haven’t signed up yet.

PHOTO AND VIDEO-SHARING APPS AND SITES

Instagram lets users snap, edit, and share photos and 15-second movies, either publicly or within a private network of followers. It unites the most popular features of social media sites: sharing, witnessing, and commenting on photos. It also lets you apply joy filters and effects to your photos, making them look high-quality and artistic.

What parents need to know

Teenagers are on the lookout for "likes." Similar to the way they use Facebook, teenagers may measure the "success" of their photos — even their self-worth — by the number of likes or comments they receive. Posting a photo or movie can be problematic if teenagers are posting to validate their popularity.
Public photos are the default. Photos and movies collective on Instagram are public unless privacy settings are adjusted. Hashtags and location information can make photos even more visible to communities beyond a teenage’s followers if his or her account is public.
Kids can send private messages. Instagram Direct is like texting with photos or movies and you can do it with up to fifteen mutual friends. These pictures don’t display up on their public feeds. Albeit there’s nothing wrong with group talks, kids may be more likely to share inappropriate stuff with their internal circles.

Musical.ly – Your Movie Social Network is a performance- and video-sharing social network that mostly features teenagers lip-synching to famous songs but also includes some original songwriting and singing. Musers, as dedicated users are called, can build up a following among friends or share posts publicly.

What parents need to know

Songs and movies contain lots of iffy content. Because the platform features popular music and a mix of teenage and adult users, swearing and sexual content are commonplace.
Gaining followers and fans feels significant. Teenagers want a public profile to get exposure and approval, and many are very motivated to get more followers and likes for their movies.

MICROBLOGGING APPS AND SITES

Tumblr is like a cross inbetween a blog and Twitter: It’s a streaming scrapbook of text, photos, and/or movie and audio clips. Users create and go after brief blogs, or "tumblogs," that can be seen by anyone online (if they’re made public). Many teenagers have tumblogs for individual use: sharing photos, movies, musings, and things they find funny with their friends.

What parents need to know

Porn is effortless to find. This online hangout is hip and creative but sometimes raunchy. Pornographic pics and movies and depictions of violence, self-harm, drug use, and offensive language are lightly searchable.
Privacy can be guarded but only through an awkward workaround. The very first profile a member creates is public and viewable by anyone on the internet. Members who desire utter privacy have to create a 2nd profile, which they’re able to password-protect.
Posts are often copied and collective. Reblogging on Tumblr is similar to re-tweeting: A post is reblogged from one tumblog to another. Many teenagers like — and, in fact, want — their posts to be reblogged.

Twitter is a microblogging implement that permits users to post brief, 140-character messages — called "tweets" — and go after other users’ activities. It’s not only for adults; teenagers like using it to share tidbits and keep up with news and celebrities.

What parents need to know

Public tweets are the normfor teenagers. However you can choose to keep your tweets private, most teenagers report having public accounts. Talk to your kids about what they post and how a post can spread far and quick.
Updates emerge instantaneously. Even however you can eliminate tweets, your followers can still read what you wrote until it’s gone. This can get kids in trouble if they say something in the fever of the moment.

Houseparty – Group Movie Talk is a way for groups of teenagers to connect via live movie. Two to eight people can be in a talk together at the same time. If someone who’s not a direct friend joins a talk, teenagers get an alert in case they want to leave the talk. You can also "lock" a talk so no one else can join.

What parents need to know

Users can take screenshots during a talk. Teenagers like to think that what happens in a talk stays in a talk, but that’s not necessarily the case. It’s effortless for someone to take a screenshot while in a talk and share it with whomever they want.
There’s no moderator. Part of the joy of live movie is that anything can happen, but that can also be a problem. Unlike static posts that developers may review, live movie talks are spontaneous, so it’s unlikely to predict what kids will see, especially if they’re in talks with people they don’t know well.

Live.ly – Live Movie Streaming poses all the same risks that all live-streaming services do, so poor choices, oversharing, and talking with strangers can be part of the package.

What parents need to know

It’s associated with Musical.ly. Because of the parent app’s popularity, this streamer is all the rage, and "musers" (dedicated Musical.ly listeners) have built-in accounts.
Privacy, safety, and creepiness are concerns. Because teenagers are often broadcasting from their bedrooms to people they don’t know, sometimes sharing phone numbers, and often performing for approval, there’s the potential for trouble.

Live.me – Live Movie Streaming permits kids to observe others and broadcast themselves live, earn currency from fans, and interact live with users without any control over who views their rivulets.

What parents need to know

Kids can lightly see inappropriate content. During our review, we witnessed broadcasters cursing and using racial slurs, scantily clad broadcasters, youthfull teenagers answering sexually charged questions, and more.
Predatory comments are a concern. Because anyone can communicate with broadcasters, there is the potential for viewers to request sexual pictures or spectacles or to contact them through other social means and send private pictures or messages.

YouNow: Broadcast, Talk, and Observe Live Movie is an app that lets kids stream and observe live broadcasts. As they witness, they can comment or buy gold bars to give to other users. Ultimately, the objective is to get lots of viewers, embark trending, and grow your fan base.

What parents need to know

Kids might make poor decisions to build up popularity. Because it’s live movie, kids can do or say anything and can react to requests from viewers — in real time. Tho’ there seems to be moderation around iffy content (kids complain about having accounts suspended "for nothing"), there’s slew of swearing and occasional sharing of private information with anonymous viewers.
Teenagers can share individual information, sometimes by accident. Teenagers often broadcast from their bedrooms, which often have individual information visible, and they sometimes will share a phone number or an email address with viewers, not knowing who’s indeed watching.
It’s creepy. Teenagers even broadcast themselves sleeping, which illustrates the urge to share all aspects of life, even intimate moments, publicly — and potentially with strangers.

Snapchat is a messaging app that lets users put a time limit on the pictures and movies they send before they vanish. Most teenagers use the app to share goofy or embarrassing photos without the risk of them going public. However, there are lots of opportunities to use it in other ways.

What parents need to know

It’s a myth that Snapchats go away forever. Data is data: Whenever an pic is sent, it never truly goes away. (For example, the person on the receiving end can take a screenshot of the photo before it vanishes.) Snapchats can even be recovered. After a major hack in December two thousand thirteen and a settlement with the FTC, Snapchat has clarified its privacy policy, but teenagers should stay wary.
It can make sexting seem OK. The seemingly risk-free messaging might encourage users to share pictures containing sexy pictures.
There’s a lot of iffy, clicky content. Snapchat’s Detect feature offers a grab-bag of articles, movies, and quizzes from magazine publishers, TV networks, and online sources mostly about pop culture, celebrities, and relationships (a typical headline: "THIS is What Hookup Does To Your Brain").

Whisper is a social "confessional" app that permits users to post whatever’s on their minds, paired with an photo. With all the emotions running through teenagers, anonymous outlets give them the freedom to share their feelings without fear of judgment.

What parents need to know

Murmurs are often sexual in nature. Some users use the app to attempt to meet up with people nearby, while others post "confessions" of desire. Lots of eye-catching, almost nude pics accompany these collective secrets.
Content can be dark. People normally don’t confess sunshine and rainbows; common Whisper topics include insecurity, depression, substance manhandle, and various lies told to employers and teachers.
Albeit it’s anonymous to commence, it may not stay that way. The app encourages users to exchange individual information in the "Meet Up" section.

Talking, MEETING, AND DATING APPS AND SITES

Monkey — Have Joy Talks. If you recall Chatroulette, where users could be randomly matched with strangers for a movie talk, this is the modern version. Using Snapchat to connect, users have ten seconds to live video-chat with strangers.

What parents need to know

Lots of teenagers are using it. Because of the connection with Snapchat, slew of teenagers are always available for a quick talk — which often leads to connecting via Snapchat and continuing the conversation through that platform.
Teenagers can accept or reject a talk. Before beginning a talk, users receive the stranger’s age, gender, and location and can choose whether to be matched or not.

MeetMe: Talk and Meet Fresh People. The name says it all. Albeit not marketed as a dating app, MeetMe does have a "Match" feature whereby users can "secretly admire" others, and its large user base means fast-paced communication and assured attention.

What parents need to know

It’s an open network. Users can talk with whomever’s online, as well as search locally, opening the door to potential trouble.
Lots of details are required. Very first and last name, age, and ZIP code are requested at registration, or you can log in using a Facebook account. The app also asks permission to use location services on your teenagers’ mobile devices, meaning they can find the closest matches wherever they go.

Omegle is a talk site that puts two strangers together in their choice of a text talk or a movie talk. Being anonymous can be very attractive to teenagers, and Omegle provides a no-fuss way to make connections. Its "interest boxes" also let users filter potential talk playmates by collective interests.

What parents need to know

Users get paired up with strangers. That’s the entire premise of the app. And there’s no registration required.
This is not an app for kids and teenagers. Omegle is packed with people searching for sexual talk. Some choose to do so live. Others suggest links to porn sites.
Language is a big issue. Since the talks are anonymous, they’re often much more explicit than those with identifiable users might be.

Yellow – Make fresh friends is an app that is often called the "Tinder for teenagers" because users swipe right or left to accept or reject the profiles of other users. If two people swipe right on each other, they can talk and meet up via Snapchat or Instagram.

What parents need to know

●It’s effortless to lie about your age. Even if you attempt to come in a birth date that indicates you’re under 13, the app defaults to an acceptable age so you can create an account anyway.

●You have to share your location and other individual information. For the app to work, you need to let it "geotag" you. Also, there are no private profiles, so the only option is to permit anyone to find you.

●It encourages contact with strangers. As with Tinder, the entire point is to meet people. The difference with Yellow is that the endgame is sometimes just exchanging social media treats to connect there. Even if there’s no offline contact, however, without age verification, teenagers are connecting with people they don’t know who may be much older.

The bottom line for most of these implements? If teenagers are using them respectfully, appropriately, and with a little parental guidance, they should be fine. Take inventory of your kids’ apps and review the best practices.

TV senior editor Polly Conway and former Common Sense Education writer Kelly Schryver contributed to this article.

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook, Common Sense Media

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook

Gone are the days of Facebook as a one-stop shop for all social-networking needs. While it may seem more complicated to post photos on Instagram, share casual moments on Snapchat, text on WhatsApp, and check your Twitter feed across the day, tweens and teenagers love the multitude.

You don’t need to know the ins and outs of all the apps, sites, and terms that are "hot" right now (and frankly, if you did, they wouldn’t be fancy anymore). But knowing the basics — what they are, why they’re popular, and what problems can crop up when they’re not used responsibly — can make the difference inbetween a positive and a negative practice for your kid.

The bottom line for most of these implements? If teenagers are using them respectfully, appropriately, and with a little parental guidance, they’re mostly fine. So take inventory of your kids’ apps and review the best practices.

GroupMe is an app that doesn’t charge fees or have thresholds for direct and group messages. Users also can send photos, movies, and calendar links.

What parents need to know

It’s for older teenagers. The embedded GIFs and emojis have some adult themes, such as drinking and lovemaking.
Teenagers are always connected. Without fees or thresholds, teenagers can share and text to their heart’s content, which may mean they uncommonly put the phone down.

Kik Messenger is an app that lets kids text for free. It’s prompt and has no message boundaries, character boundaries, or fees if you only use the basic features. Because it’s an app, the texts won’t demonstrate up on your kid’s phone’s messaging service, and you’re not charged for them (beyond standard data rates).

What parents need to know

Stranger danger is an issue. Kik permits communication with strangers who share their Kik usernames to find people to talk with. The app allegedly has been used in high-profile crimes, including the murder of a 13-year-old woman and a child-pornography case. There’s also a Kik community blog where users can submit photos of themselves and screenshots of messages (sometimes displaying users’ utter names) to contests.
It’s loaded with ads and in-app-purchases. Kik specializes in "promoted talks" — basically, conversations inbetween brands and users. It also offers specially designed apps (accessible only through the main app), many of which suggest products for sale.

WhatsApp lets users send text messages, audio messages, movies, and photos to one or many people with no message thresholds or fees.

What parents need to know

It’s for users sixteen and over. Lots of junior teenagers seem to be using the app, but this age minimum has been set by WhatsApp.
It can be pushy. After you sign up, it automatically connects you to all the people in your address book who also are using WhatsApp. It also encourages you to add friends who haven’t signed up yet.

PHOTO AND VIDEO-SHARING APPS AND SITES

Instagram lets users snap, edit, and share photos and 15-second movies, either publicly or within a private network of followers. It unites the most popular features of social media sites: sharing, watching, and commenting on photos. It also lets you apply joy filters and effects to your photos, making them look high-quality and artistic.

What parents need to know

Teenagers are on the lookout for "likes." Similar to the way they use Facebook, teenagers may measure the "success" of their photos — even their self-worth — by the number of likes or comments they receive. Posting a photo or movie can be problematic if teenagers are posting to validate their popularity.
Public photos are the default. Photos and movies collective on Instagram are public unless privacy settings are adjusted. Hashtags and location information can make photos even more visible to communities beyond a teenage’s followers if his or her account is public.
Kids can send private messages. Instagram Direct is like texting with photos or movies and you can do it with up to fifteen mutual friends. These pictures don’t display up on their public feeds. Albeit there’s nothing wrong with group talks, kids may be more likely to share inappropriate stuff with their inward circles.

Musical.ly – Your Movie Social Network is a performance- and video-sharing social network that mostly features teenagers lip-synching to famous songs but also includes some original songwriting and singing. Musers, as faithful users are called, can build up a following among friends or share posts publicly.

What parents need to know

Songs and movies contain lots of iffy content. Because the platform features popular music and a mix of teenage and adult users, swearing and sexual content are commonplace.
Gaining followers and fans feels significant. Teenagers want a public profile to get exposure and approval, and many are very motivated to get more followers and likes for their movies.

MICROBLOGGING APPS AND SITES

What parents need to know

Porn is effortless to find. This online hangout is hip and creative but sometimes raunchy. Pornographic pics and movies and depictions of violence, self-harm, drug use, and offensive language are lightly searchable.
Privacy can be guarded but only through an awkward workaround. The very first profile a member creates is public and viewable by anyone on the internet. Members who desire total privacy have to create a 2nd profile, which they’re able to password-protect.
Posts are often copied and collective. Reblogging on Tumblr is similar to re-tweeting: A post is reblogged from one tumblog to another. Many teenagers like — and, in fact, want — their posts to be reblogged.

Twitter is a microblogging contraption that permits users to post brief, 140-character messages — called "tweets" — and go after other users’ activities. It’s not only for adults; teenagers like using it to share tidbits and keep up with news and celebrities.

What parents need to know

Public tweets are the normfor teenagers. Tho’ you can choose to keep your tweets private, most teenagers report having public accounts. Talk to your kids about what they post and how a post can spread far and quick.
Updates emerge instantaneously. Even tho’ you can liquidate tweets, your followers can still read what you wrote until it’s gone. This can get kids in trouble if they say something in the warmth of the moment.

What parents need to know

Users can take screenshots during a talk. Teenagers like to think that what happens in a talk stays in a talk, but that’s not necessarily the case. It’s effortless for someone to take a screenshot while in a talk and share it with whomever they want.
There’s no moderator. Part of the joy of live movie is that anything can happen, but that can also be a problem. Unlike static posts that developers may review, live movie talks are spontaneous, so it’s unlikely to predict what kids will see, especially if they’re in talks with people they don’t know well.

Live.ly – Live Movie Streaming poses all the same risks that all live-streaming services do, so poor choices, oversharing, and talking with strangers can be part of the package.

What parents need to know

It’s associated with Musical.ly. Because of the parent app’s popularity, this streamer is all the rage, and "musers" (faithful Musical.ly listeners) have built-in accounts.
Privacy, safety, and creepiness are concerns. Because teenagers are often broadcasting from their bedrooms to people they don’t know, sometimes sharing phone numbers, and often performing for approval, there’s the potential for trouble.

Live.me – Live Movie Streaming permits kids to see others and broadcast themselves live, earn currency from fans, and interact live with users without any control over who views their rivulets.

What parents need to know

Kids can lightly see inappropriate content. During our review, we eyed broadcasters cursing and using racial slurs, scantily clad broadcasters, youthfull teenagers answering sexually charged questions, and more.
Predatory comments are a concern. Because anyone can communicate with broadcasters, there is the potential for viewers to request sexual pictures or spectacles or to contact them through other social means and send private pictures or messages.

YouNow: Broadcast, Talk, and Observe Live Movie is an app that lets kids stream and witness live broadcasts. As they observe, they can comment or buy gold bars to give to other users. Ultimately, the aim is to get lots of viewers, begin trending, and grow your fan base.

What parents need to know

Kids might make poor decisions to build up popularity. Because it’s live movie, kids can do or say anything and can react to requests from viewers — in real time. Tho’ there seems to be moderation around iffy content (kids complain about having accounts suspended "for nothing"), there’s slew of swearing and occasional sharing of private information with anonymous viewers.
Teenagers can share individual information, sometimes by accident. Teenagers often broadcast from their bedrooms, which often have individual information visible, and they sometimes will share a phone number or an email address with viewers, not knowing who’s indeed watching.
It’s creepy. Teenagers even broadcast themselves sleeping, which illustrates the urge to share all aspects of life, even intimate moments, publicly — and potentially with strangers.

What parents need to know

It’s a myth that Snapchats go away forever. Data is data: Whenever an picture is sent, it never truly goes away. (For example, the person on the receiving end can take a screenshot of the photo before it vanishes.) Snapchats can even be recovered. After a major hack in December two thousand thirteen and a settlement with the FTC, Snapchat has clarified its privacy policy, but teenagers should stay wary.
It can make sexting seem OK. The seemingly risk-free messaging might encourage users to share pictures containing sexy pictures.
There’s a lot of iffy, clicky content. Snapchat’s Detect feature offers a grab-bag of articles, movies, and quizzes from magazine publishers, TV networks, and online sources mostly about pop culture, celebrities, and relationships (a typical headline: "THIS is What Hookup Does To Your Brain").

Whisper is a social "confessional" app that permits users to post whatever’s on their minds, paired with an picture. With all the emotions running through teenagers, anonymous outlets give them the freedom to share their feelings without fear of judgment.

What parents need to know

Murmurs are often sexual in nature. Some users use the app to attempt to meet up with people nearby, while others post "confessions" of desire. Lots of eye-catching, almost nude pics accompany these collective secrets.
Content can be dark. People normally don’t confess sunshine and rainbows; common Whisper topics include insecurity, depression, substance manhandle, and various lies told to employers and teachers.
Albeit it’s anonymous to commence, it may not stay that way. The app encourages users to exchange private information in the "Meet Up" section.

Talking, MEETING, AND DATING APPS AND SITES

What parents need to know

Lots of teenagers are using it. Because of the connection with Snapchat, slew of teenagers are always available for a quick talk — which often leads to connecting via Snapchat and continuing the conversation through that platform.
Teenagers can accept or reject a talk. Before beginning a talk, users receive the stranger’s age, gender, and location and can choose whether to be matched or not.

What parents need to know

It’s an open network. Users can talk with whomever’s online, as well as search locally, opening the door to potential trouble.
Lots of details are required. Very first and last name, age, and ZIP code are requested at registration, or you can log in using a Facebook account. The app also asks permission to use location services on your teenagers’ mobile devices, meaning they can find the closest matches wherever they go.

What parents need to know

Users get paired up with strangers. That’s the entire premise of the app. And there’s no registration required.
This is not an app for kids and teenagers. Omegle is packed with people searching for sexual talk. Some choose to do so live. Others suggest links to porn sites.
Language is a big issue. Since the talks are anonymous, they’re often much more explicit than those with identifiable users might be.

What parents need to know

●It’s effortless to lie about your age. Even if you attempt to inject a birth date that indicates you’re under 13, the app defaults to an acceptable age so you can create an account anyway.

The bottom line for most of these instruments? If teenagers are using them respectfully, appropriately, and with a little parental guidance, they should be fine. Take inventory of your kids’ apps and review the best practices.

TV senior editor Polly Conway and former Common Sense Education writer Kelly Schryver contributed to this article.

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook, Common Sense Media

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook

You don’t need to know the ins and outs of all the apps, sites, and terms that are "hot" right now (and frankly, if you did, they wouldn’t be elegant anymore). But knowing the basics — what they are, why they’re popular, and what problems can crop up when they’re not used responsibly — can make the difference inbetween a positive and a negative practice for your kid.

The bottom line for most of these devices? If teenagers are using them respectfully, appropriately, and with a little parental guidance, they’re mostly fine. So take inventory of your kids’ apps and review the best practices.

GroupMe is an app that doesn’t charge fees or have boundaries for direct and group messages. Users also can send photos, movies, and calendar links.

What parents need to know

It’s for older teenagers. The embedded GIFs and emojis have some adult themes, such as drinking and lovemaking.
Teenagers are always connected. Without fees or thresholds, teenagers can share and text to their heart’s content, which may mean they infrequently put the phone down.

What parents need to know

Stranger danger is an issue. Kik permits communication with strangers who share their Kik usernames to find people to talk with. The app allegedly has been used in high-profile crimes, including the murder of a 13-year-old chick and a child-pornography case. There’s also a Kik community blog where users can submit photos of themselves and screenshots of messages (sometimes displaying users’ utter names) to contests.
It’s loaded with ads and in-app-purchases. Kik specializes in "promoted talks" — basically, conversations inbetween brands and users. It also offers specially designed apps (accessible only through the main app), many of which suggest products for sale.

WhatsApp lets users send text messages, audio messages, movies, and photos to one or many people with no message boundaries or fees.

What parents need to know

It’s for users sixteen and over. Lots of junior teenagers seem to be using the app, but this age minimum has been set by WhatsApp.
It can be pushy. After you sign up, it automatically connects you to all the people in your address book who also are using WhatsApp. It also encourages you to add friends who haven’t signed up yet.

PHOTO AND VIDEO-SHARING APPS AND SITES

What parents need to know

Teenagers are on the lookout for "likes." Similar to the way they use Facebook, teenagers may measure the "success" of their photos — even their self-worth — by the number of likes or comments they receive. Posting a photo or movie can be problematic if teenagers are posting to validate their popularity.
Public photos are the default. Photos and movies collective on Instagram are public unless privacy settings are adjusted. Hashtags and location information can make photos even more visible to communities beyond a teenage’s followers if his or her account is public.
Kids can send private messages. Instagram Direct is like texting with photos or movies and you can do it with up to fifteen mutual friends. These pictures don’t display up on their public feeds. Albeit there’s nothing wrong with group talks, kids may be more likely to share inappropriate stuff with their inward circles.

Musical.ly – Your Movie Social Network is a performance- and video-sharing social network that mostly features teenagers lip-synching to famous songs but also includes some original songwriting and singing. Musers, as faithful users are called, can build up a following among friends or share posts publicly.

What parents need to know

Songs and movies contain lots of iffy content. Because the platform features popular music and a mix of teenage and adult users, swearing and sexual content are commonplace.
Gaining followers and fans feels significant. Teenagers want a public profile to get exposure and approval, and many are very motivated to get more followers and likes for their movies.

MICROBLOGGING APPS AND SITES

Tumblr is like a cross inbetween a blog and Twitter: It’s a streaming scrapbook of text, photos, and/or movie and audio clips. Users create and go after brief blogs, or "tumblogs," that can be seen by anyone online (if they’re made public). Many teenagers have tumblogs for private use: sharing photos, movies, musings, and things they find funny with their friends.

What parents need to know

Porn is effortless to find. This online hangout is hip and creative but sometimes raunchy. Pornographic pics and movies and depictions of violence, self-harm, drug use, and offensive language are lightly searchable.
Privacy can be guarded but only through an awkward workaround. The very first profile a member creates is public and viewable by anyone on the internet. Members who desire utter privacy have to create a 2nd profile, which they’re able to password-protect.
Posts are often copied and collective. Reblogging on Tumblr is similar to re-tweeting: A post is reblogged from one tumblog to another. Many teenagers like — and, in fact, want — their posts to be reblogged.

What parents need to know

Public tweets are the normfor teenagers. However you can choose to keep your tweets private, most teenagers report having public accounts. Talk to your kids about what they post and how a post can spread far and rapid.
Updates emerge instantly. Even however you can liquidate tweets, your followers can still read what you wrote until it’s gone. This can get kids in trouble if they say something in the warmth of the moment.

What parents need to know

Users can take screenshots during a talk. Teenagers like to think that what happens in a talk stays in a talk, but that’s not necessarily the case. It’s effortless for someone to take a screenshot while in a talk and share it with whomever they want.
There’s no moderator. Part of the joy of live movie is that anything can happen, but that can also be a problem. Unlike static posts that developers may review, live movie talks are spontaneous, so it’s unlikely to predict what kids will see, especially if they’re in talks with people they don’t know well.

Live.ly – Live Movie Streaming poses all the same risks that all live-streaming services do, so poor choices, oversharing, and talking with strangers can be part of the package.

What parents need to know

It’s associated with Musical.ly. Because of the parent app’s popularity, this streamer is all the rage, and "musers" (loyal Musical.ly listeners) have built-in accounts.
Privacy, safety, and creepiness are concerns. Because teenagers are often broadcasting from their bedrooms to people they don’t know, sometimes sharing phone numbers, and often performing for approval, there’s the potential for trouble.

Live.me – Live Movie Streaming permits kids to see others and broadcast themselves live, earn currency from fans, and interact live with users without any control over who views their rivulets.

What parents need to know

Kids can lightly see inappropriate content. During our review, we eyed broadcasters cursing and using racial slurs, scantily clad broadcasters, youthful teenagers answering sexually charged questions, and more.
Predatory comments are a concern. Because anyone can communicate with broadcasters, there is the potential for viewers to request sexual pictures or spectacles or to contact them through other social means and send private pics or messages.

YouNow: Broadcast, Talk, and Witness Live Movie is an app that lets kids stream and observe live broadcasts. As they witness, they can comment or buy gold bars to give to other users. Ultimately, the aim is to get lots of viewers, commence trending, and grow your fan base.

What parents need to know

Kids might make poor decisions to build up popularity. Because it’s live movie, kids can do or say anything and can react to requests from viewers — in real time. However there seems to be moderation around iffy content (kids complain about having accounts suspended "for nothing"), there’s slew of swearing and occasional sharing of individual information with anonymous viewers.
Teenagers can share private information, sometimes by accident. Teenagers often broadcast from their bedrooms, which often have individual information visible, and they sometimes will share a phone number or an email address with viewers, not knowing who’s indeed watching.
It’s creepy. Teenagers even broadcast themselves sleeping, which illustrates the urge to share all aspects of life, even intimate moments, publicly — and potentially with strangers.

What parents need to know

It’s a myth that Snapchats go away forever. Data is data: Whenever an photo is sent, it never truly goes away. (For example, the person on the receiving end can take a screenshot of the pic before it vanishes.) Snapchats can even be recovered. After a major hack in December two thousand thirteen and a settlement with the FTC, Snapchat has clarified its privacy policy, but teenagers should stay wary.
It can make sexting seem OK. The seemingly risk-free messaging might encourage users to share pictures containing sexy pictures.
There’s a lot of iffy, clicky content. Snapchat’s Detect feature offers a grab-bag of articles, movies, and quizzes from magazine publishers, TV networks, and online sources mostly about pop culture, celebrities, and relationships (a typical headline: "THIS is What Hook-up Does To Your Brain").

What parents need to know

Purrs are often sexual in nature. Some users use the app to attempt to meet up with people nearby, while others post "confessions" of desire. Lots of eye-catching, almost nude pics accompany these collective secrets.
Content can be dark. People normally don’t confess sunshine and rainbows; common Whisper topics include insecurity, depression, substance manhandle, and various lies told to employers and teachers.
Albeit it’s anonymous to begin, it may not stay that way. The app encourages users to exchange individual information in the "Meet Up" section.

Talking, MEETING, AND DATING APPS AND SITES

Monkey — Have Joy Talks. If you reminisce Chatroulette, where users could be randomly matched with strangers for a movie talk, this is the modern version. Using Snapchat to connect, users have ten seconds to live video-chat with strangers.

What parents need to know

Lots of teenagers are using it. Because of the connection with Snapchat, slew of teenagers are always available for a quick talk — which often leads to connecting via Snapchat and continuing the conversation through that platform.
Teenagers can accept or reject a talk. Before beginning a talk, users receive the stranger’s age, gender, and location and can choose whether to be matched or not.

What parents need to know

It’s an open network. Users can talk with whomever’s online, as well as search locally, opening the door to potential trouble.
Lots of details are required. Very first and last name, age, and ZIP code are requested at registration, or you can log in using a Facebook account. The app also asks permission to use location services on your teenagers’ mobile devices, meaning they can find the closest matches wherever they go.

What parents need to know

Users get paired up with strangers. That’s the entire premise of the app. And there’s no registration required.
This is not an app for kids and teenagers. Omegle is packed with people searching for sexual talk. Some choose to do so live. Others suggest links to porn sites.
Language is a big issue. Since the talks are anonymous, they’re often much more explicit than those with identifiable users might be.

What parents need to know

●It’s effortless to lie about your age. Even if you attempt to inject a birth date that indicates you’re under 13, the app defaults to an acceptable age so you can create an account anyway.

●You have to share your location and other private information. For the app to work, you need to let it "geotag" you. Also, there are no private profiles, so the only option is to permit anyone to find you.

TV senior editor Polly Conway and former Common Sense Education writer Kelly Schryver contributed to this article.

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook, Common Sense Media

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook

Gone are the days of Facebook as a one-stop shop for all social-networking needs. While it may seem more complicated to post photos on Instagram, share casual moments on Snapchat, text on WhatsApp, and check your Twitter feed across the day, tweens and teenagers love the multiplicity.

GroupMe is an app that doesn’t charge fees or have thresholds for direct and group messages. Users also can send photos, movies, and calendar links.

What parents need to know

It’s for older teenagers. The embedded GIFs and emojis have some adult themes, such as drinking and hookup.
Teenagers are always connected. Without fees or thresholds, teenagers can share and text to their heart’s content, which may mean they uncommonly put the phone down.

Kik Messenger is an app that lets kids text for free. It’s prompt and has no message boundaries, character thresholds, or fees if you only use the basic features. Because it’s an app, the texts won’t demonstrate up on your kid’s phone’s messaging service, and you’re not charged for them (beyond standard data rates).

What parents need to know

Stranger danger is an issue. Kik permits communication with strangers who share their Kik usernames to find people to talk with. The app allegedly has been used in high-profile crimes, including the murder of a 13-year-old woman and a child-pornography case. There’s also a Kik community blog where users can submit photos of themselves and screenshots of messages (sometimes displaying users’ utter names) to contests.
It’s loaded with ads and in-app-purchases. Kik specializes in "promoted talks" — basically, conversations inbetween brands and users. It also offers specially designed apps (accessible only through the main app), many of which suggest products for sale.

WhatsApp lets users send text messages, audio messages, movies, and photos to one or many people with no message thresholds or fees.

What parents need to know

It’s for users sixteen and over. Lots of junior teenagers seem to be using the app, but this age minimum has been set by WhatsApp.
It can be pushy. After you sign up, it automatically connects you to all the people in your address book who also are using WhatsApp. It also encourages you to add friends who haven’t signed up yet.

PHOTO AND VIDEO-SHARING APPS AND SITES

Instagram lets users snap, edit, and share photos and 15-second movies, either publicly or within a private network of followers. It unites the most popular features of social media sites: sharing, observing, and commenting on photos. It also lets you apply joy filters and effects to your photos, making them look high-quality and artistic.

What parents need to know

Teenagers are on the lookout for "likes." Similar to the way they use Facebook, teenagers may measure the "success" of their photos — even their self-worth — by the number of likes or comments they receive. Posting a photo or movie can be problematic if teenagers are posting to validate their popularity.
Public photos are the default. Photos and movies collective on Instagram are public unless privacy settings are adjusted. Hashtags and location information can make photos even more visible to communities beyond a teenage’s followers if his or her account is public.
Kids can send private messages. Instagram Direct is like texting with photos or movies and you can do it with up to fifteen mutual friends. These pictures don’t demonstrate up on their public feeds. Albeit there’s nothing wrong with group talks, kids may be more likely to share inappropriate stuff with their internal circles.

Musical.ly – Your Movie Social Network is a performance- and video-sharing social network that mostly features teenagers lip-synching to famous songs but also includes some original songwriting and singing. Musers, as faithful users are called, can build up a following among friends or share posts publicly.

What parents need to know

Songs and movies contain lots of iffy content. Because the platform features popular music and a mix of teenage and adult users, swearing and sexual content are commonplace.
Gaining followers and fans feels significant. Teenagers want a public profile to get exposure and approval, and many are very motivated to get more followers and likes for their movies.

MICROBLOGGING APPS AND SITES

Tumblr is like a cross inbetween a blog and Twitter: It’s a streaming scrapbook of text, photos, and/or movie and audio clips. Users create and go after brief blogs, or "tumblogs," that can be seen by anyone online (if they’re made public). Many teenagers have tumblogs for private use: sharing photos, movies, musings, and things they find funny with their friends.

What parents need to know

Porn is effortless to find. This online hangout is hip and creative but sometimes raunchy. Pornographic pictures and movies and depictions of violence, self-harm, drug use, and offensive language are lightly searchable.
Privacy can be guarded but only through an awkward workaround. The very first profile a member creates is public and viewable by anyone on the internet. Members who desire total privacy have to create a 2nd profile, which they’re able to password-protect.
Posts are often copied and collective. Reblogging on Tumblr is similar to re-tweeting: A post is reblogged from one tumblog to another. Many teenagers like — and, in fact, want — their posts to be reblogged.

What parents need to know

Public tweets are the normfor teenagers. However you can choose to keep your tweets private, most teenagers report having public accounts. Talk to your kids about what they post and how a post can spread far and prompt.
Updates emerge instantly. Even tho’ you can eliminate tweets, your followers can still read what you wrote until it’s gone. This can get kids in trouble if they say something in the warmth of the moment.

What parents need to know

Users can take screenshots during a talk. Teenagers like to think that what happens in a talk stays in a talk, but that’s not necessarily the case. It’s effortless for someone to take a screenshot while in a talk and share it with whomever they want.
There’s no moderator. Part of the joy of live movie is that anything can happen, but that can also be a problem. Unlike static posts that developers may review, live movie talks are spontaneous, so it’s unlikely to predict what kids will see, especially if they’re in talks with people they don’t know well.

Live.ly – Live Movie Streaming poses all the same risks that all live-streaming services do, so poor choices, oversharing, and talking with strangers can be part of the package.

What parents need to know

It’s associated with Musical.ly. Because of the parent app’s popularity, this streamer is all the rage, and "musers" (dedicated Musical.ly listeners) have built-in accounts.
Privacy, safety, and creepiness are concerns. Because teenagers are often broadcasting from their bedrooms to people they don’t know, sometimes sharing phone numbers, and often performing for approval, there’s the potential for trouble.

Live.me – Live Movie Streaming permits kids to see others and broadcast themselves live, earn currency from fans, and interact live with users without any control over who views their rivulets.

What parents need to know

Kids can lightly see inappropriate content. During our review, we spotted broadcasters cursing and using racial slurs, scantily clad broadcasters, youthfull teenagers answering sexually charged questions, and more.
Predatory comments are a concern. Because anyone can communicate with broadcasters, there is the potential for viewers to request sexual pictures or spectacles or to contact them through other social means and send private pics or messages.

YouNow: Broadcast, Talk, and Witness Live Movie is an app that lets kids stream and see live broadcasts. As they witness, they can comment or buy gold bars to give to other users. Ultimately, the aim is to get lots of viewers, embark trending, and grow your fan base.

What parents need to know

Kids might make poor decisions to build up popularity. Because it’s live movie, kids can do or say anything and can react to requests from viewers — in real time. Tho’ there seems to be moderation around iffy content (kids complain about having accounts suspended "for nothing"), there’s slew of swearing and occasional sharing of private information with anonymous viewers.
Teenagers can share individual information, sometimes by accident. Teenagers often broadcast from their bedrooms, which often have individual information visible, and they sometimes will share a phone number or an email address with viewers, not knowing who’s indeed watching.
It’s creepy. Teenagers even broadcast themselves sleeping, which illustrates the urge to share all aspects of life, even intimate moments, publicly — and potentially with strangers.

What parents need to know

It’s a myth that Snapchats go away forever. Data is data: Whenever an pic is sent, it never truly goes away. (For example, the person on the receiving end can take a screenshot of the picture before it vanishes.) Snapchats can even be recovered. After a major hack in December two thousand thirteen and a settlement with the FTC, Snapchat has clarified its privacy policy, but teenagers should stay wary.
It can make sexting seem OK. The seemingly risk-free messaging might encourage users to share pictures containing sexy pics.
There’s a lot of iffy, clicky content. Snapchat’s Detect feature offers a grab-bag of articles, movies, and quizzes from magazine publishers, TV networks, and online sources mostly about pop culture, celebrities, and relationships (a typical headline: "THIS is What Hook-up Does To Your Brain").

What parents need to know

Purrs are often sexual in nature. Some users use the app to attempt to meet up with people nearby, while others post "confessions" of desire. Lots of eye-catching, almost nude pics accompany these collective secrets.
Content can be dark. People normally don’t confess sunshine and rainbows; common Whisper topics include insecurity, depression, substance manhandle, and various lies told to employers and teachers.
Albeit it’s anonymous to commence, it may not stay that way. The app encourages users to exchange private information in the "Meet Up" section.

Talking, MEETING, AND DATING APPS AND SITES

What parents need to know

Lots of teenagers are using it. Because of the connection with Snapchat, slew of teenagers are always available for a quick talk — which often leads to connecting via Snapchat and continuing the conversation through that platform.
Teenagers can accept or reject a talk. Before beginning a talk, users receive the stranger’s age, gender, and location and can choose whether to be matched or not.

What parents need to know

It’s an open network. Users can talk with whomever’s online, as well as search locally, opening the door to potential trouble.
Lots of details are required. Very first and last name, age, and ZIP code are requested at registration, or you can log in using a Facebook account. The app also asks permission to use location services on your teenagers’ mobile devices, meaning they can find the closest matches wherever they go.

What parents need to know

Users get paired up with strangers. That’s the entire premise of the app. And there’s no registration required.
This is not an app for kids and teenagers. Omegle is packed with people searching for sexual talk. Some choose to do so live. Others suggest links to porn sites.
Language is a big issue. Since the talks are anonymous, they’re often much more explicit than those with identifiable users might be.

What parents need to know

TV senior editor Polly Conway and former Common Sense Education writer Kelly Schryver contributed to this article.

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook, Common Sense Media

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook

Gone are the days of Facebook as a one-stop shop for all social-networking needs. While it may seem more complicated to post photos on Instagram, share casual moments on Snapchat, text on WhatsApp, and check your Twitter feed across the day, tweens and teenagers love the multitude.

GroupMe is an app that doesn’t charge fees or have boundaries for direct and group messages. Users also can send photos, movies, and calendar links.

What parents need to know

It’s for older teenagers. The embedded GIFs and emojis have some adult themes, such as drinking and hookup.
Teenagers are always connected. Without fees or thresholds, teenagers can share and text to their heart’s content, which may mean they infrequently put the phone down.

What parents need to know

Stranger danger is an issue. Kik permits communication with strangers who share their Kik usernames to find people to talk with. The app allegedly has been used in high-profile crimes, including the murder of a 13-year-old damsel and a child-pornography case. There’s also a Kik community blog where users can submit photos of themselves and screenshots of messages (sometimes displaying users’ total names) to contests.
It’s loaded with ads and in-app-purchases. Kik specializes in "promoted talks" — basically, conversations inbetween brands and users. It also offers specially designed apps (accessible only through the main app), many of which suggest products for sale.

WhatsApp lets users send text messages, audio messages, movies, and photos to one or many people with no message thresholds or fees.

What parents need to know

It’s for users sixteen and over. Lots of junior teenagers seem to be using the app, but this age minimum has been set by WhatsApp.
It can be pushy. After you sign up, it automatically connects you to all the people in your address book who also are using WhatsApp. It also encourages you to add friends who haven’t signed up yet.

PHOTO AND VIDEO-SHARING APPS AND SITES

Instagram lets users snap, edit, and share photos and 15-second movies, either publicly or within a private network of followers. It unites the most popular features of social media sites: sharing, watching, and commenting on photos. It also lets you apply joy filters and effects to your photos, making them look high-quality and artistic.

What parents need to know

Teenagers are on the lookout for "likes." Similar to the way they use Facebook, teenagers may measure the "success" of their photos — even their self-worth — by the number of likes or comments they receive. Posting a photo or movie can be problematic if teenagers are posting to validate their popularity.
Public photos are the default. Photos and movies collective on Instagram are public unless privacy settings are adjusted. Hashtags and location information can make photos even more visible to communities beyond a teenage’s followers if his or her account is public.
Kids can send private messages. Instagram Direct is like texting with photos or movies and you can do it with up to fifteen mutual friends. These pictures don’t demonstrate up on their public feeds. Albeit there’s nothing wrong with group talks, kids may be more likely to share inappropriate stuff with their internal circles.

Musical.ly – Your Movie Social Network is a performance- and video-sharing social network that mostly features teenagers lip-synching to famous songs but also includes some original songwriting and singing. Musers, as loyal users are called, can build up a following among friends or share posts publicly.

What parents need to know

Songs and movies contain lots of iffy content. Because the platform features popular music and a mix of teenage and adult users, swearing and sexual content are commonplace.
Gaining followers and fans feels significant. Teenagers want a public profile to get exposure and approval, and many are very motivated to get more followers and likes for their movies.

MICROBLOGGING APPS AND SITES

What parents need to know

Porn is effortless to find. This online hangout is hip and creative but sometimes raunchy. Pornographic photos and movies and depictions of violence, self-harm, drug use, and offensive language are lightly searchable.
Privacy can be guarded but only through an awkward workaround. The very first profile a member creates is public and viewable by anyone on the internet. Members who desire utter privacy have to create a 2nd profile, which they’re able to password-protect.
Posts are often copied and collective. Reblogging on Tumblr is similar to re-tweeting: A post is reblogged from one tumblog to another. Many teenagers like — and, in fact, want — their posts to be reblogged.

Twitter is a microblogging instrument that permits users to post brief, 140-character messages — called "tweets" — and go after other users’ activities. It’s not only for adults; teenagers like using it to share tidbits and keep up with news and celebrities.

What parents need to know

Public tweets are the normfor teenagers. However you can choose to keep your tweets private, most teenagers report having public accounts. Talk to your kids about what they post and how a post can spread far and quick.
Updates emerge instantaneously. Even tho’ you can eliminate tweets, your followers can still read what you wrote until it’s gone. This can get kids in trouble if they say something in the fever of the moment.

What parents need to know

Users can take screenshots during a talk. Teenagers like to think that what happens in a talk stays in a talk, but that’s not necessarily the case. It’s effortless for someone to take a screenshot while in a talk and share it with whomever they want.
There’s no moderator. Part of the joy of live movie is that anything can happen, but that can also be a problem. Unlike static posts that developers may review, live movie talks are spontaneous, so it’s unlikely to predict what kids will see, especially if they’re in talks with people they don’t know well.

Live.ly – Live Movie Streaming poses all the same risks that all live-streaming services do, so poor choices, oversharing, and talking with strangers can be part of the package.

What parents need to know

It’s associated with Musical.ly. Because of the parent app’s popularity, this streamer is all the rage, and "musers" (dedicated Musical.ly listeners) have built-in accounts.
Privacy, safety, and creepiness are concerns. Because teenagers are often broadcasting from their bedrooms to people they don’t know, sometimes sharing phone numbers, and often performing for approval, there’s the potential for trouble.

Live.me – Live Movie Streaming permits kids to see others and broadcast themselves live, earn currency from fans, and interact live with users without any control over who views their rivulets.

What parents need to know

Kids can lightly see inappropriate content. During our review, we spotted broadcasters cursing and using racial slurs, scantily clad broadcasters, youthfull teenagers answering sexually charged questions, and more.
Predatory comments are a concern. Because anyone can communicate with broadcasters, there is the potential for viewers to request sexual pictures or spectacles or to contact them through other social means and send private pics or messages.

YouNow: Broadcast, Talk, and See Live Movie is an app that lets kids stream and observe live broadcasts. As they witness, they can comment or buy gold bars to give to other users. Ultimately, the aim is to get lots of viewers, begin trending, and grow your fan base.

What parents need to know

Kids might make poor decisions to build up popularity. Because it’s live movie, kids can do or say anything and can react to requests from viewers — in real time. However there seems to be moderation around iffy content (kids complain about having accounts suspended "for nothing"), there’s slew of swearing and occasional sharing of private information with anonymous viewers.
Teenagers can share individual information, sometimes by accident. Teenagers often broadcast from their bedrooms, which often have individual information visible, and they sometimes will share a phone number or an email address with viewers, not knowing who’s truly watching.
It’s creepy. Teenagers even broadcast themselves sleeping, which illustrates the urge to share all aspects of life, even intimate moments, publicly — and potentially with strangers.

What parents need to know

It’s a myth that Snapchats go away forever. Data is data: Whenever an photo is sent, it never truly goes away. (For example, the person on the receiving end can take a screenshot of the picture before it vanishes.) Snapchats can even be recovered. After a major hack in December two thousand thirteen and a settlement with the FTC, Snapchat has clarified its privacy policy, but teenagers should stay wary.
It can make sexting seem OK. The seemingly risk-free messaging might encourage users to share pictures containing sexy pictures.
There’s a lot of iffy, clicky content. Snapchat’s Detect feature offers a grab-bag of articles, movies, and quizzes from magazine publishers, TV networks, and online sources mostly about pop culture, celebrities, and relationships (a typical headline: "THIS is What Hook-up Does To Your Brain").

What parents need to know

Murmurs are often sexual in nature. Some users use the app to attempt to meet up with people nearby, while others post "confessions" of desire. Lots of eye-catching, almost nude pics accompany these collective secrets.
Content can be dark. People normally don’t confess sunshine and rainbows; common Whisper topics include insecurity, depression, substance manhandle, and various lies told to employers and teachers.
Albeit it’s anonymous to begin, it may not stay that way. The app encourages users to exchange individual information in the "Meet Up" section.

Talking, MEETING, AND DATING APPS AND SITES

What parents need to know

Lots of teenagers are using it. Because of the connection with Snapchat, slew of teenagers are always available for a quick talk — which often leads to connecting via Snapchat and continuing the conversation through that platform.
Teenagers can accept or reject a talk. Before beginning a talk, users receive the stranger’s age, gender, and location and can choose whether to be matched or not.

What parents need to know

It’s an open network. Users can talk with whomever’s online, as well as search locally, opening the door to potential trouble.
Lots of details are required. Very first and last name, age, and ZIP code are requested at registration, or you can log in using a Facebook account. The app also asks permission to use location services on your teenagers’ mobile devices, meaning they can find the closest matches wherever they go.

What parents need to know

Users get paired up with strangers. That’s the entire premise of the app. And there’s no registration required.
This is not an app for kids and teenagers. Omegle is packed with people searching for sexual talk. Some choose to do so live. Others suggest links to porn sites.
Language is a big issue. Since the talks are anonymous, they’re often much more explicit than those with identifiable users might be.

What parents need to know

The bottom line for most of these devices? If teenagers are using them respectfully, appropriately, and with a little parental guidance, they should be fine. Take inventory of your kids’ apps and review the best practices.

TV senior editor Polly Conway and former Common Sense Education writer Kelly Schryver contributed to this article.

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook, Common Sense Media

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook

17 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading to After Facebook

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