August 11, 2017 by thegreenheronsociety

Sarahah

App Review – Sarahah

Threat Level – Very High

Sarahah is an app developed by Zainalabdin Tawfiq. If you haven’t heard of this or seen anything about it, then get ready. It is already here and is the talk of the kids with school starting back. This app originated and has been growing in Saudi Arabia and Egypt with the biggest growth to date in India. With the amount of growth, it was a matter of time before it hit the United States…and guess what, it is here.

The Sarahah app is meant for sending and receiving feedback from others, anonymously. The creators described it by saying: Sarahah helps people self-develop by receiving constructive anonymous After you create a Sarahah profile, which anyone can visit (with or without account) people can visit your profile and leave messages, anonymously. If they have logged in, messages are still anonymous by default, but users can choose to tag their identity.

On the receiving side, all the messages show up in an inbox where you can flag messages, delete them, reply, or favourite them.

Parents must remember anonymity enables people to act out and behave in sometimes harmful ways without consideration for others. Even positive reviews still warn that this app is not for the weak but is marketed as a social interaction tool. If you scroll through the reviews that people are leaving, you will see a common thread of people receiving mean messages.

You can remove your profile from search results, limiting the people who you share your profile with, and you can also turn off access for unauthorised users. Right now you cannot right back which is a feature they are currently changing. You can also block senders, so you will never see any further messages. This seems like a sandbox for cyber bullying. We need to monitor this app very closely.

This isn’t the first anonymous messaging app we’ve seen that took off. You have read my other reviews in past with Yik Yak, Secret and even Whisper. Sarahah’s seems to look more at private messaging and less on social media, and so visiting another users’ profile won’t show anything, unless they choose to make the posts public. This app doesn’t even require a login or account if you don’t want one. This is a first for this style app. The email addresses you register with is usually a tool for marketing to generate income for the company.

As you can see, I gave this app a very high threat level. Do to its booming success and growth with kids, We need to remember anonymity apps such as this are really dangerous and cannot be monitored the way they need to be. Once negative anonymous messages are received, emotionally the damage is done to our children.

App Description – blue, turquoise, mail, mail app, blue mail, letter, blue and white letter

February 8, 2017 by thegreenheronsociety

You Now

App Review – You Now

Threat Level – Very High

YouNow is an app developed by a company named YouNow incorporated and launched back in spring of 2016. This app is available on all the major mobile markets and is free download. This app does however have subscription service for 4.99 a month that can be billed directly to your iTunes account and iTunes subscriptions. The paid service unlocks other features and let’s you connect and find more people to live broadcast yourself with along with adding stickers, more chat features and access to broadcasters replays.

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You now could be described as a mix between you tube and going Facebook Live. This app let’s you create an account with an email address, and go live by streaming whatever you are doing via your devices camera. They advertise this app as a way to express yourself and share with others your artistic side such as singing or broadcasting what you are currently doing. You can also search for others who are currently broadcasting live, and with a active subscription view replays of their live broadcasts. Once inside one of these live views streaming, you may comment on videos and read others comments or participate in a live chat with the creators of the live stream and their viewers. You can also select the people you enjoy following the most. You can also be notified when they go live. Or replay the videos they have streamed and created in the past.

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With a lot of streaming service features being added to social networks like Facebook and Periscope (owned by twitter) you are going to start seeing more and more of this kind of content. Live streaming is dangerous for kids for two reasons. One, being live if they make a mistake and say something or do something, there is no way to get it back or have removed. The content has already been shared. Also from the viewing side of the app, I have already found from researching the app that some content with strong language or very edgy content that I would not want my children to be viewing.

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A lot of kids want to be seen or be the popular one and stand out in their circle of friends. Make sure they are not doing this at the expense of their own safety or putting content out that parents would not approve just to be “popular” or to go “viral”. Live streaming features will continue to grow inside apps that are already out as well as new ones on the horizon. Be aware of this trend.

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App Description – green, now, white letters, now, like, like green, green with white, green white, green and white

November 22, 2015 by thegreenheronsociety

Meow Chat

App Review – Meow Chat

Threat Level – Very high

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Meow Chat is an app developed by a company named Minus headquartered out of New York City. The company was backed by over 2 million dollars to launch a new style of mobile dating/chatting service which turned into Meow Chat. I did not find any other apps developed by this company which tells me they are working really hard to polish Meow Chat for its users.

So what is Meow Chat? The app Meow Chat describes itself as a fun way to chat and meet new friends. It does have a 17+ rating so they intend for adults to use this app and not children. On reviewing Meow Chat, it reminded me a lot of Tinder style layout with a mix of Grindr and Whatsapp (2 similar chat/dating applications ). Make no doubts about it, this app is a dating/hookup/chatting with strangers app. This app also allows instant chatting with strangers from around the world. With the similarities of Tinder, the main difference is Tinder seems to match more on location as Meow Chat uses interests in your profile to help match users. Now you see why children should not be using this app. Thinking of children and chatting with strangers does not go together. Meow chat is available on all major mobile markets for download and has a very easy sign in process. You link up Meow Chat with your Facebook profile or create a login with an email address. You can then chat to existing friends by inviting them to join or find new chat partners from around the world. I did notice a lot of accounts while I was testing the app that were outside the United States. On setup it does send you a confirmation Thank you for signing up email. Be looking for this of you monitor your children’s email accounts.

As soon as you login, clicking Random Chat throws you into a random chat room where you can talk publicly and get to know people for a private chat session or the explore feature will show you a map of other Meow Chat users around you or have similar interests as you. You can scroll through profiles that shows 3 of the users pictures along with a one line intro. I saw intros as innocent as Let’s Chat to the other end of spectrum saying What would you do with me. It doesn’t take long to see exploring profiles there are some that are explicit while others are safe. I had mentioned how this app looks and feels like Tinder. The way it shows profile pics for you to like or chat with is similar. Tinder focuses purely on hooking people up by location, whereas Meow Chat goes one step further and finds people with the same interests as you.
Meow Chat claims to be the “fastest growing social network with millions of members from every country”. Its Google Play page states that it has been downloaded 10 million times on Android alone. It is free to download but you can purchase coin packs inside the application that allows you utilize advanced features inside the app.

Meow Chat promotes mature conversations and warns users that their account will be suspended for inappropriate behaviour. You can report another user, bygo on their profile by tapping their image and tap ‘Report User’. You can also click ‘Block User’ to stop them from communicating with you. If you continue to have an issue There is also an email address to contact Meow Chat at hello@meow.me.
As I discussed earlier, this app is rated for adults and children should not be using this application. If you see this one on your child’s device, delete it immediately and find out who they have been chatting with. Children should not be using Meow Chat.

App description – yellow cat, cat, cat chat, meow, cat, cat chat bubble, yellow chat bubble, bubble, yellow

March 30, 2015 by thegreenheronsociety

Sneek

App Review – Sneak

Threat Level – Very High

Sneek is an app that is growing in popularity since the Snapchat story craze has become more and more common. Sneek is an app that is described as a fast, fun way to discover moments as they unfold around you. Send funny, crazy, or ridiculous photos and videos to everyone nearby. Sneek your friend streaking down Main Street, or the aftermath of your last Fraternity party for all to see. Just Sneek it, that’s it. Sneeky the squirrel as the app calls is mascot is a way to share any photo or video to others around you.

Sneek is an anonymous video and pic sharing app that is available on IOS and Android devices. Sneeks concept is to allow people to share with not only friends, but with people in their immediate area. You can view other people’s posts that are close to where you are posting from This is why they are trying to market towards college campuses. With that being said, most College students are adults. They share adult content from parties and other college extra curricular activities. Most of the videos that I have reviewed inside the app have been from local college in my home town and are not what I would want any underage child viewing in my house. This app is made for adults by adults. There are features that can be added to your photos to make them more personal. Filters and text can be applied for individuality of the posts.

We are now seeing that Middle Schools and High School students are starting to figure out the app from family members in college or word of mouth and are trying to copy what young adult college students are doing. If you see this app on your childs device, make sure it is being used innocently and not to share any inappropriate photos or videos.

Sneek – Orange squirrel, squirrel, snapchat story, stories, yeti, yetti, Sneek, Sneeky the squirrel

December 10, 2014 by thegreenheronsociety

Jiggler

App Review -Jiggler

Threat Level – Very High

Jiggler is an adults only app made by a company called Red Light Center. Red Light Center is known for their adult virtual worlds online, where they market to adults on a way to explore your deepest sexual fantasies and desires. This is Red Light Centers first app on the market. Due to this app having naked photos (computer generated) I am confident the Apple Store rejected it on their App Store, but Android welcomed it. This is an Android only app for the time being. They would have to really tone this one way down and keep the clothes of the models to ever be approved through Apples App Store.

So what is Jiggler? Jiggler is an app described as a way to have a giggle while you jiggle. You create a female or male avatar with your choice of race. After you select your race and sex, you customize your character with the size of private parts that you wish them to have. You can also select some clothing if you wish.

Once you have your avatar created, you can shake your device to make your avatar giggle and dance to music. This app has no other purpose other than making naked or clothed avatars to dance. This app is not meant for children, and should not be an app that your child has on his or her device.

app description – red, circles, x, red app, c, c, breast icon, chest, breast, chest,

October 10, 2014 by thegreenheronsociety

Secret

App review – Secret
Threat Level – Very High

Secret is a free app available on the IOS and Play store. The app is described as a place for you speak freely without judgement. With that last sentence, you can see why I gave this app a high threat level for your children.

You start Secret and the tutorial walks you through the step by step process of setting up your anonymous account. That means, well… You don’t have to do anything. Once you launch the app it is ready to roll.

The basic concept of the app is you are telling secrets to strangers. You don’t know them, and they do not know you. That is the last thing I want my children doing. The app appears basic with pictures and text. When you make a post, you select a picture or upload your own as a background for your “secret”. The secrets being shared are usually one or two line typed text messages with different font selections.

As I was browsing the app I saw posts that were saying things like “Me and my mom do drugs together” and “I have a porn addiction” also people had shared updates like “calm down and enjoy life” and other G rated quotes. During my brief session of using the app, I saw about half the secrets posted that I would NOT want my kids reading. When people make a post, it does not know who you are and does not associate a profile picture or any profile to the post (known as a secret). Secret does allow people to comment on your secret or give it a “like”. People can view comments of the secret without posting or clicking on a like. If a secret is liked, it shows people around you (GPS) or friends that you have selectively decided to share your secret with what that post is and allows them the opportunity to like it or comment on it. When you make a comment, the app associates a default picture with your comment, but just for that thread. This allows people to know who is posting numerous comments on a thread. This generic photo changes though if you go to comment on another secret.

Another thing that was concerning on this app was posts that I felt kids were making being inquisitive. I saw a couple secrets asking about sexual oriented questions. The comments were just as graphic as the secret shared. These were obviously posts that I would not like my kids reading, liking or commenting on.

This app is one to put on your watch list. If you see this app pop up on your child’s download list, remove it quickly. This app should be for adults only.

App description – fox white black fox face animal cat wolf

February 17, 2014 by thegreenheronsociety

Backchat

App Review – Backchat

Threat Level – Very High

Back chat is an app available for IOS and Android devices. Backchat is another text messaging app on the long list of data Text messaging applications. Just like the other popular texting apps, this app uses your data to send and receive text messages and not your standard cellular device method. This means kids can use this app on devices that do not have cellular service, but does have access to the internet. Such as iPods and iPads.

So what makes backchat different from other texting apps, and why does it have a higher threat level than the normal texting apps? It is because you send and receive anonymous text messages without knowing who the sender is, but they know you. This may sound fun and innocent as a guessing game of who is texting who, but we have already seen situations where kids can get their feelings hurt with inappropriate texts without knowing who is responsible.

Once you download app, you will need to use your Google plus or Facebook account to login. This is getting more popular with social media apps because instantly you give the app access to your friends and your interests for the company to market around.

Once you get logged in, you are ready to send anonymous text messages to your friends. You can leave them clues as to who you are like it is a game on top of a texting app. The marketing strategy to this app is that normal texting is boring. Spice up texting with sending anonymous text messages. This needs to be monitored from both sides. If you find this app on your child’s device, make sure they are not using it to be ugly towards someone else hiding in the anonymous side of the app. If they are on the other side and are receiving anonymous texts, make sure the messages are not hurtful.

White, black, chat bubble, green background, chat bubbles, two chat bubbles