Snapchat’s only privacy setting is a good friend

When I watch my kids online, I often wish the internet was a bit more forgiving. I am not talking about the freedom to do whatever they want without consequences. I am talking about sharing a silly moment without it stalking them for they rest of their lives. The Snapchat app appears to promise kids this freedom by allowing them to send a disappearing photo.

Snapchat lets kids take and send photos to their friends that cannot be saved. It does this by including a self-destruct button. Kids decide how long their friend can view the photo, with a maximum viewing time of 10 seconds. When time is up, the photo disappears. Snapchat photos cannot be saved by the recipient.

Snapchat is intended for kids over 13. It is one of the top 5 apps for teens. Over 60 million photos or messages are sent each day on Snapchat. The latest version will let teens send videos that self-destruct within 10 seconds.

When Snapchat first launched, many people wrote about the potential for teens to use it for sexting. A self-destructing photo seemed the perfect way for teens to send naughty pictures without worrying about the photo ending up splashed all over the internet. Some teens probably have used Snapchat for this purpose and parents should definitely talk to their teen about the dangers of sexting.

An online search for #Snapchat reveals a lot of teens are using it to take funny pictures of themselves. They are making an ugly face or drawing a mustache. These pictures share a silly moment then disappear. They can have fun without having their crazy duck face follow them into adulthood. Unfortunately, these faces may not always disappear.

Tips and limits for new smart phones

The start of school is no longer about having the right jeans or the new shoes. A new phone is the must have fall accessory. The phone most kids want and think they need is a smartphone.

Smartphones are not really phones. Most kids will rarely use them to call anyone except for their parents. Smartphones are small, powerful computers with their own operating systems and programs. With 4G networks and wi-fi, kids can connect 24/7 to surf the web, watch videos, text friends, shop online and download apps. Smartphones are a computer in their pocket.

Like a computer, parents need to establish rules for their use. Most families have rules for using a desktop computer. Families need to set similar limits, expectations and protection for these pocket computers. If you have a new smartphone owner in the house, here are few tips to get you started. 

ESRB makes it easier to evaluate apps on the go

When packing for vacation, my kids throw their clothes and swimsuit in a bag then load up their devices with new apps for the long car ride. I check out all their apps by reading the description and looking at the age rating. Even after looking things over, I am often surprised by my kids playing an app and seeing a chat window pop up or questionable content.

This summer, I started looking up apps on the ESRB (Entertainment Software Review Board) website. Most parents know the ESRB from their ratings on video games. Almost all video games sold at a retail store display an ESRB rating. Now, the ESRB, with the CTIA-the Wireless Association, has expanded its rating system to include mobile apps.

What I like about the ESRB rating is the detailed information. The rating summary contains examples and quotes of why the game or app received a certain rating. Parents can also find information under “Other” if it allows online interactions such as sharing personal information, collecting location, or sharing pictures, texts, art etc. For me, these online interactions are just as important as content. With more information, parents can make a better decision if the app is appropriate for their kid.

When out and about, parents can use the ESRB’s free mobile app. This app allows parents to look up ratings for games on their phone. The app is available on iTunes or GooglePlay. When kids want to download a game while waiting for a flight or on a long trip, parents can quickly type in the name and check out the rating before kids download.

So far, six mobile companies, AT&T, Microsoft, Sprint, T-Mobile USA, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless, will adopt the ESRB rating system in their storefronts. Parents will not see the ESRB ratings on iTunes or GooglePlay. These stores have their own separate rating system. The ESRB rates many of the same apps, so parents can still look them up on the ESRB website or with their mobile app.

The ESRB website has more than just ratings. Their family discussion guide contains some questions to ask kids about games or parents can use the questions as a guide for evaluating games. They also have information on how to set parental controls on video game consoles and other devices. With over 1 billion apps being downloaded a month, parents should definitely add this website to their list of favorite sites.