SUNNYSIDE SCOOP MARCH, 2019
Principal Points March 2019 Smartphone Apps - Resources for Parents This month I’m taking a different route than I usually do for my monthly newsletter. I know many of our students now have smartphones, and while a vast majority of the applications kids can download are safe, as parents we should also know what types of apps are out there which our students may use. The resource I'd like to share with you today originates from the Sherburne County Substance Abuse Prevention. Attached to this newsletter, you'll find an infographic with ten apps of which parents should be aware. I've outlined a few I believe are the most prevalent, and added two not on the infographic that are worth noting. House Party: House Party is an app for video chatting that allows up to eight users to chat together. Benefits of this app include security, in the sense that video chat cannot take place without agreement from both users, and it can be useful for bringing a group together since so many users can chat simultaneously. Concerns include privacy settings - unless a room is "locked," a contact's mutual friend may enter the chat. Other things to be aware of include the fact that there is no age verification, and inappropriate content may be shared. Kik: Kik is often used as an alternative to texting. Kik has features that include video, sketch, bot, and friend scanning. This app makes it VERY easy for strangers to connect to your child, and requests for explicit content including photos and videos is common. Snapchat: Snapchat is an app that allows messaging of user-created content including photos, videos, texts, and calls. Snapchat is known for "snaps"(messages) only being viewable for between one and ten seconds before disappearing. This is somewhat true, unless users are accessing a third party app, in which case messages can be saved. Snapchat has the reputation of being a "sexting" app due to fact that outgoing and incoming messages are not saved, but many teens use the app to send fun, silly pictures. Be aware that the "discover" content teens can access on the app often includes harsh language, explicit content, violence, and advertisements, and there is no option to "opt out." Also, be aware that locations of users are often public. VSCO: This app is often used to edit photos - I have friends who use it and describe it as fantastic. Users can create accounts and edit, post images connected with a profile. Worth mentioning, however, is you must manually turn on privacy settings. I added this app on the list as a general reminder that even utilitarian apps at times share locations, and have privacy setting that must be accessed manually. Continued on Next Page...