Trend Alert: 6 Messaging Apps That Let Teens Share (Iffy) Secrets-From Common Sense Media

This article was recently published on the Common Sense Media website. Parents should be aware there are more ways of sharing information online besides Facebook and Instagram. New messaging and chat apps are constantly popping up all the time. Parents should be aware what apps their child is using and most importantly what they are sharing with others.

(Excerpt from article)
Snapchat: A messaging app that lets users put a time limit on the pictures and videos they send before they disappear.
Burn Note: A texting-only app that erases messages after a set period of time. Messages are stored until first view and then deleted.
Whisper: A social "confessional" app that allows users to post whatever's on their mind. Users type a confession, add a background image, and share it with the Whisper community. It’s intended for users age 17 and older.
Secret - Speak Freely: A social-media app that's designed to let people voice whatever's on their minds anonymously.
Ask.fm: A social site that lets kids ask questions and answer those posted by other users -- sometimes anonymously.
Omegle: An anonymous chat client through which users discuss anything they'd like. Its conversations are filled with lewd language and references to sexual content, drugs and alcohol, and violence.


Check out this article from Common Sense Media to learn more about what you should be cautious of your child is using one of these apps.
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/trend-alert-6-messaging-apps-that-let-teens-share-iffy-secrets?utm_source=2014_04_08_Educator_Newsletter_1&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly