Many teenagers browse through apps like Wink to slowly dip their feet into socializing and make new friends, especially people who have social anxiety. However, kids at this age fail to realize how they can be exploited or blackmailed for money with this app. There have been thousands of cases where pedophiles and scammers will catfish young children.
From there, these scammers and predators will exploit kids for inappropriate images or money. So, you will have to keep an eye on apps like Wink as a parent. You can’t leave your kid unattended on such apps, even if they are 15 or 16.
What is the Wink app used for?
Consider the Wink app as a watered-down version of Tinder. Instead of finding potential partners, Wink helps teenagers make new friends and schedule fun activities. If your kid lacks social skills, then Wink can be a great entry point for your child. However, that doesn’t mean you can allow your kid to use this app all day. Instead, you need to monitor their behavior on this app and educate them about online predators.
Even though social apps like Wink have strict policies about profanity and inappropriate content, users still find ways around these policies. Many predators and scammers use Wink daily to prey on unsuspecting teenagers. So, you can’t just say that you respect your kid’s privacy and leave them alone on this app.
As a parent, it is your responsibility to keep track of your kid’s activities within this app. So, keep monitoring your child and use some parental control tools to restrict their time on this app. Hopefully, you’ll be able to remove these restrictions once your kids are old enough.
Is Wink app safe for kids?
No, this app is not safe for kids, and it is intended for people above the age of 17. If your kid is not 17, just keep them away from this app and uninstall it right away from their phone. I know I’ve said that teenagers use this app to make friends, but these teenagers should be above 17.
Now, as far as the safety provided by Wink is concerned, this app asks for your kid’s age and maintains a real-life moderation team. Moreover, it also encourages users to report bad content. This approach allows Wink to ban and block predators or scammers who are using this app. However, no amount of security can guarantee 100 percent results.
Even though Wink asks for age and other personal information to verify a kid’s eligibility, there is no verification process in place. It is pretty easy for predators and scammers to make a fake account and lie about their age to join Wink.
6 teen apps like Wink parents should be aware of
Now, the story doesn’t just end at Wink. There are a ton of other teen apps that attract children from across the nation. So, if you’re a parent, go through this list of six popular teen apps like Wink.
Yubo
Yubo is a social application for Gen Z that divides people into different communities based on age. Unlike Wink, Yubo requires multi-factor age authentication to allow kids under 17 to use this app.
As far as the age limit is concerned, people under 13 can’t use this application. Anyone ranging from 13 to 17 will further require parental permission to be able to use this application. Users above 17 can freely use this application.
This app allows you to do a lot of fun social activities. Here is what you will get from Yubo.
- Play creative games with new people to break the ice.
- Stream live or host parties with friends.
- Connect with new people.
- Explore different ways to present yourself to nearby community members.
Now, even with the multi-factor authentication process, people can purchase verified accounts or bypass the verification process. This situation further allows predators to join the same communities as kids who are under 17. So, your child is not that safe on this app even with the parental controls.
Down Dating
Down Dating is an outright adult app for people who wish to meet potential partners. You can find people close to your region to arrange meetups and go on dates when using this application. However, if your child is under 17, this is not a safe app for them.
The minimum age limit for the Down Dating app is 17. This age is then verified through your iCloud or Google Account. If you’re above 17, it can be a fun way to meet new people. Some people even say that it is a copy of Tinder.
Here are some of the features you’ll get with Down Dating.
- Swiping up and down potential matches.
- Chat with the new person to arrange meetups.
- Customize your profile to present your creative side.
- Play fun games to judge compatibility with a potential partner.
The risks associated with the Down Dating app are similar to those associated with Tinder. Pedophiles will be able to chat with your kid and arrange meetups with inappropriate intentions.
Snack
Snack is a cool new app for iOS devices that allows you to create an AI-powered avatar and teach it to go on dates in your place. This dating app brings a unique concept to online dating and helps people show their best side even when they are busy.
However, being a dating app, Snack is only viable for users who are under 18. Any user who is under 18 will not be allowed to use this application. So, you should keep your child away from such apps at all costs.
Here are some of the features you can expect from Snack.
- AI-powered avatar controls.
- Customized profiles.
- Quick chat features.
- Abundance of collaborative activities with avatars.
The risk with Snack is that your kid can get exposed to explicit conversation and mature content within the application. This app is only for mature users and doesn’t have any profanity or content filters.
Spotafriend
Even though Spotafriend is marketed as an app that allows you to meet new people and make friends close by, people use it for dating purposes. So, don’t get deceived by the adverts that say Spotafreind is not a dating app. Many thirsty people and pedophiles are lurking on this app to target young children.
The age gate for Spotafrined is 13 to 19. This app is intended for teenagers and teenagers only. However, there is still an abundance of fake accounts and predators using the app to target young kids. Here is what you can do Spotafrined.
- A quick chat with a single swipe.
- Browse through hundreds of profile cards.
- Emojis and quirky interactions within the convo section.
Similar to the issues with any social app, Spotafreind doesn’t have strict verification processes. Anyone can make a fake account and talk with your kid to arrange real-life meetups.
Kik
Kik was a pretty popular app for talking with your friends and meeting new people. However, the abundance of sex workers and pedophiles on this app drove away a lot of users. There is no chance I could ever recommend that you allow your child to use this platform.
Even though the age limit for Kik is 13, you can’t let your teenagers on this app. Even adults over 18 avoid this app because of an abundance of inappropriate content. So, don’t let your child stay on this social platform. Here are the features marketed by Kik.
- Express your bold side.
- Meet millions of members.
- Explore people with similar adults.
- Talk about any topic with new people.
What other risks do you need to be concerned about, except the presence of predators and pedophiles on the Kik application?
Wizz
The Wizz app was good in the beginning, but it has become a casual hookup app over the past couple of years. You won’t find any meaningful connection on this app, and you’re better off spending your time meeting people in real life.
The age limit for Wizz is 13+, which is outrageous, in my opinion. Even though Wizz will verify your age by scanning your face, this verification doesn’t mean anything! Your teenager can hop on this dating app as soon as they are 13. So, you need to restrict such apps to keep your child safe from inappropriate relationships. Here is what you will get from the Wizz app.
- Meet new friends online.
- Dig through unexpected memes.
- Joni different communities.
- Get feedback from your peers.
There is just an abundance of sexual predators on this application. Even if your kid meets the age limitations for this app, they will be targeted by horny teenagers. Moreover, there have been cases of pedophiles purchasing Wizz app accounts to target young children.
LMK
LMK allows users to instantly talk with new people and drop into audio rooms. It is a great way to boost your confidence and meet new people online. So, if you struggle to make friends, try out the LMK application.
The users must be at least 13 years of age to use LMK. However, I’d recommend not to let your child on this app until they are 15. Moreover, you need to constantly educate them about online predators. With that said, here is what you will get with LMK.
- Instant calls and chats.
- Watch content on YouTube with your friends.
- Drop into different audio rooms.
The risks again span in many directions with this app. There are no content filters, and your child will be exposed to inappropriate slurs. So, reconsider your decision to let your child on this application.
3 ways to keep an eye on apps like Wink
There are a few methods to keep your kid safe from apps like Wink. Personally, I’d always recommend you just talk things through with your child. However, you can also use parental control tools to monitor their behavior. Here are three ways you can keep your child safe from harmful social platforms.
1. Educate your child
The best way to keep your child away from apps like Wink is to educate your child. You need to openly talk to your kids about what are safe online behaviors and how they can get targeted by predators. This way, you won’t have to worry as much about your child being exploited by people with malicious intent.
2. Use native parental control features
The native parental control features within Android (App Lock) and iPhone (Screen Time) can help you lock the Play Store and App Store on your respective devices. Your kid will not be able to download any apps like Wink if they can’t access the Play Store or App Store.
3. Try third-party parental control apps
Lastly, you can rely on third-party apps like FlashGet Kids to keep tabs on your child. This app will help you monitor your child’s app usage and restrict screen time on their devices. It provides comprehensive security protection for your kids, including live location tracking, app blocker, GeoFence, and more.
Conclusion
I know every other kid is interested in apps like Wink to make new friends. You might even introduce such apps yourself to your kid, expecting them to be more social. However, if you fail to realize issues like harassment, online predators, and groomers, you’ll ruin your kid’s mental health. These apps are no joke, and you should get serious about how to protect your child online. Hopefully, a comprehensive solution like FlashGet Kids will take some of the stress away from you and your child’s life.
