{"id":4033,"date":"2013-06-03T14:09:00","date_gmt":"2013-06-03T14:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qustodio.com\/blog\/2013\/06\/how-to-spot-a-bad-app\/"},"modified":"2021-08-10T17:34:32","modified_gmt":"2021-08-10T17:34:32","slug":"how-to-spot-a-bad-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qustodio.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-spot-a-bad-app\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Spot a \u201cBad\u201d App"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve seen lots of inquiries lately from parents who want to know which apps are safe for their kids and which ones are to be avoided, or at the very least monitored. This is a great question, and we wish it were one that we could answer definitively. With thousands of apps being added to the Apple store and Google Play each and every day, it would be difficult if not impossible to track them all. Plus, many apps like Vine, for instance, are created for harmless entertainment purposes and then used to propagate smut.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

### There Are Ways to Spot a Bad App <\/p>\n

Rather than attempt to block all potentially harmful apps in one fell swoop, we think the best method is to approach the issue on a case by case (or in this scenario, app-by-app) basis. Here are a few guidelines to follow:<\/p>\n

###\u00a0Carefully Consider Pic and Video Sharing Apps<\/p>\n

Decide if and how you want your child to share pictures or videos with others. Although there may be nothing wrong with your teenager sharing a picture of her new dog with her friends on Facebook, not all teens (or even tweens) use photo-sharing apps so innocently. If you do decide to let your kid post videos and images online, be sure that the proper privacy settings are in place to ensure that the content is seen by a select group of family and friends, not a bunch of strangers.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll need to consider other features of the app as well. For instance, if the app in question allows photos and videos to disappear within minutes of the recipient viewing them (think Snapchat, for instance), then that may be a cause for concern. These apps make it tempting for teens to share images of themselves that they wouldn\u2019t otherwise, giving them a false sense of privacy. After all, it\u2019s been proven that Snapchats don\u2019t really go away<\/a>\u2014they can be recovered. <\/p>\n

###\u00a0Consider Your Family\u2019s Values<\/p>\n

All families are different, so what may be fine for one could be unsuitable for another. For instance, there are tons of kids\u2019 apps that allow children to apply makeup to virtual models or participate in a digital fashion show. If you want your daughter to focus on inner qualities rather than superficial ones, then these may not be the best apps for you. Of course, there are some apps that cross all moral boundaries such as It Girl<\/a>, the app that lets users buy friends and seek out sugar daddies all in a quest to be \u201cthe hottest girl in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

###\u00a0Experiment With the App Yourself<\/p>\n

All parents want to trust their children\u2019s decisions, especially when they get to be teenagers, but it\u2019s a mistake to think that even older kids are equipped to make wise decisions all of the time. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to let your child know that you want to take a look at the apps he\u2019s interested in. Sit down together and explore the apps\u2019 features. Talk about how the app can be used safely and point out any potential pitfalls. In some cases, you may have to just say no to an app. If that\u2019s the case, explain to your child you do trust her, but that you need to keep her safe from others who may want to do her harm.<\/p>\n

###\u00a0Use Parental Monitoring Software <\/p>\n

Even after you\u2019ve given your child the go-ahead to download an app, that doesn\u2019t mean your job is over. Apps routinely offer new features, so it\u2019s important to keep an eye out for these updates. Parental monitoring software like Qustodio allows you to see which apps your kids are using, how long they\u2019re using them, and exactly how they\u2019re interacting with other users.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t let one bad app spoil your kids\u2019 innocence or safety. Be discerning about which apps they have access to, and monitor their usage regularly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve seen lots of inquiries lately from parents who want to know which apps are safe for their kids and which ones are to be avoided, or at the very least monitored. This is a great question, and we wish it were one that we could answer definitively. With thousands of apps being added to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Spot a \u201cBad\u201d App | Qustodio<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qustodio.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-spot-a-bad-app\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Spot a \u201cBad\u201d App\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We\u2019ve seen lots of inquiries lately from parents who want to know which apps are safe for their kids and which ones are to be avoided, or at the very least monitored. 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