It is impossible to give you a definitive list of every app you need to be aware of as the list is seemingly endless. What is popular today, becomes oh so yesterday within the space of a month. Some apps are quite OK if used correctly but if used incorrectly cause harm. The best way to address the issue of apps is to do a quick risk assessment based on what the App promotes as its key feature.

Apps that promote anonymity such as Ask.fm and Qooh.me or those where the text disappears such as Telegram or Confide are often used as a means to cyberbully. They encourage disinhibition, a false sense of anonymity and a belief that as the content disappears they will not be able to be traced.

Apps where the sent picture disappears, the most popular one being Snap Chat, lulls teens into a false sense of security. Send whatever you like, naked pics included and no one will know! This often encourages teens to send naked or sexually explicit pics, thinking that no one will know because they ‘disappear.’ The reality however is that the picture does not disappear; it stays on the Snap Chat server as well as the fact that a forensic examination of a device can locate the pics as well.

Then there are Apps that use geo-location technology to connect you with those close to your physical location. These include Tinder and Popcorn Chat. Whilst is might be considered harmless ‘fun’ to find and connect with people close to your physical location, these apps are widely used by predators and online stalkers to attach themselves to a victim who is happy to share their physical location.

Finally, apps that encourage the sharing of pictures such as Instagram can be used by predators looking to gather large numbers of images of children they like the look of. Posting pictures to social media when you have location services turned on for the camera is fraught with danger as it is a simple act to run the picture through a program that reads the meta data in order to obtain the precise physical location of where the picture was taken.

The app however that is causing considerable problems at the moment is KiK. KiK is a messaging app that is highly appealing to kids because it is free. Communication is via any Wi-Fi network so calls/texts do not come out of phone credit. A phone or phone number is not required to use this app. It is the number one app for causing problems in schools, especially with kids having unwanted contact by strangers and grooming. There are many adult content apps within it and no security settings. Because of the large number of very young, vulnerable kids and teens on the site, it is also a haven for online predators. Police around the world regularly warn about this one.

Apps have age restrictions designed to keep kids away from danger as long as possible so please ensure that they are followed. Even the most benign app can have a sinister side.

By understanding the basic features of an App, you can assess the potential risk and/or danger and have a relevant conversation with the young people in your care.

Susan McLean is Australia’s leading cybersafety expert and has been a member of the Generation Next team since its inception. Susan will be presenting in both the Main Program (Strategies to Prevent Online Abuse) and the Leadership Program (Crisis Management of Online Issues) at Gen Next Sydney 24th July 2015. 

For more information about Susan, visit www.cybersafetysolutions.com.au