Apps like Instagram for adults every parent should be aware of

No matter how much you trust your kid or how trustworthy they are, trouble is next door. Due to the enthusiastic usage of social platforms by kids, it has become a daunting task for parents to shield them from the dark corners of the internet. But you don’t have to worry, because we have compiled a list of apps like Instagram for adults ( Twitter, Houseparty, Yobo, TikTok, Onlyfans, and many more) to help you figure out which app can pose what type of danger on your lovely child. So, keep learning!

Is Instagram safe for kids? What do parents need to know?

“Instagram is one of the most popular trendy social apps through which people share their photos, videos, stories, reels, accomplishments, etc., make friends and follow each other.”

Instagram has received 5+ billion downloads. And it’s no wonder that about 71% teens of U.S are active on this platform. For your information, as of now, Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed person on Instagram with about 607 million plus followers.

You know well that persons of every age group (with different mentality) are active on Instagram, who used to post content whatever they want, without considering its impact on kids’ and teens’ minds. So, there are pretty chances of distraction for underage kids (Instagram is rated 13+) who can’t sense the risk and stumble across the negativity.

Instagram is an eye opener app for parents, there are many worth discussing points with parents to protect children from the potential risks of Instagram.

• Inappropriate content. Inappropriate content is an issue we see across every social platform. Unfortunately, some individuals share mature content on Instagram, which can easily come across the screens of kids and teens. They might keep watching it, unaware of the potential impact on their innocent minds.
• Environmental toxicity. The race for likes and followers can have a toxic effect on teen’s mental health. People often pressure each other to follow their accounts to pursue money and fame. This is why parents must keep an eye on their kids’ social media usage to protect them from this complexity.

• Cyberbullying. No doubt, social apps are a breeding ground for predators who can disturb your child’s peace through irritating and frightening messages. Moreover, through kids’ ID details, they can track and harass them. According to a report, almost 59% of teens have fallen prey to such cyberbullying on social platforms.

12 apps like Instagram for adults parents should know

These social apps are a double-edged sword. If they provide entertainment, connectivity, money and fame, there are countless potential risks also attached to them.

So, it’s wise for parents to get the basic know-how about the social apps that their kids are using daily. Therefore, to help you out we are going to discuss a long list of the most popular social apps to understand their nature and emerging risks for kids.

i. Snapchat
ii. Twitter
iii. TikTok
iv. Tumblr
v. Onlyfans
vi. Reddit
vii. Discord
viii. Telegram
ix. BeReal
x. VSCO
xi. Houseparty
xii. Yubo

Snapchat

“Snapchat ( launched in 2011) is a social app that allows its users to share images, videos and snaps with their online community. But the twist is that its content disappears just after viewing by the recipient.”

Due to a lot of fun factors ( filters, snaps, Bitmoji, etc.), Snapchat has crossed 464 million downloads, and it is cited as the most preferred social media app for 48% of U.S. teens. Irrespective of its huge acceptance, still Snapchat has a lot of potential risks that parents must consider, such as:

• Vanishing of content: If the disappearing content feature of Snapchat provides some safety, then it also turns the heads of scammers to harass and exploit people for the sake of illegal money, gifts etc. Because, after the scam, the victim wouldn’t have anything as proof.
• Location sharing: Some disgusting stalkers can abduct and harass your kid by tracking the location through the Snap Map.
• Unhealthy pics and videos: Some people share illegal content on Instagram, but still it spreads negativity even after viewing it once.

Twitter

“Twitter is an authorized social media platform where people tweet their thoughts, involved in the conversation and follow their influencers and celebrities.”

Generally speaking, Twitter is one of the biggest sources to stay updated about news and events. Moreover, you can make friends with similar interests, and many more. But like any other social app, it also has some drawbacks, such as;

• Abusive language: Some people don’t think twice about anything and quickly run a tweet without considering their tone and wording, so obviously these factors promote negativity.
• Explicit content: Some tweets may contain explicit and adult content that may prove toxic for immature minds.

TikTok

“TikTok is the most popular go-to platform among the young generation due to its short interesting musical videos. People show their talents ( singing, dancing, cooking, achievements, etc.) by making short videos and can garner a huge fan following.”

TikTok has crossed 2 billion downloads globally, and according to Statista ( a German online data-collecting platform). About 41% of TikTok users are between 10 and 19. Although making videos on TikTok boosts people’s confidence, it has dark sides also that parents must need to know, such as;

• Obsession: The infinite scroll feature of TikTok has made people addicted to making and scrolling TikTok videos in most hours of their day, and according to a study average people spend about 95 minutes on TikTok daily. So, give a check, if your kid is wasting precious time on TikTok.
• Threatening comments: In 2019, TikTok was fined by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about $5.7 million, due to some issues of mishandling predatory comments ( as TikTok has an open commenting system).

Tumblr

“A social media blogging platform through which people share their Tumblelogs, pic, and other short videos.”

• Unhealthy content: You know when a person publicly posts anything on a social platform, it is viewed by all the people in different corners of the world, and every type of person is active on social apps, so, it is evident that your kid may encounter some unhealthy content ( pornographic, illegal and inappropriate content) on Tumblr.

OnlyFans

“OnlyFans ( created in 2016) is a subscription-based app for sharing content ( photos, videos, live streams) and following favourite content creators.”

OnlyFan is mostly used by YouTubers, models, fitness trainers, cooks, and other educational bloggers, as they monetize their accounts and make a livelihood through it.

• Pornographic content: Onlyfan is basically a paid cam site, where influencers do inappropriate stuff based on audience demands. It has a myriad of illegal content, therefore you should be careful if your kid uses this app.

Reddit

“Reddit is another social media platform that enables people to share content ( photos, videos, etc.). Moreover, you can create communities ( subreddits) of your own interest.”

For Reddit, the minimum age limit is 13. Under 13 kids are not allowed to use this app, because of some adult content that is certainly inappropriate for too small kids. So parents shouldn’t let their kids use Reddit excessively, because over timing can create more chances to face inappropriate content.

• No age limit: On Reddit, any kid can bypass the age criteria and allow himself to billions or trillions of inappropriate posts. Plus, as different people comment tracing kids and luring them is very easy there.

Discord

“Discord is another social communication platform, through which people can chat, share pics and interact through real-time video calling.”

On Discord, people make online friends by sharing their mutual interests. Due to some amazing features of this app, it is used by most businesses ( for collaborating on business meetings, hosting events, etc.).

• Drawbacks: But, likewise other apps, Discord also has some drawbacks, such as ( explicit content, illegal sharing of photos and videos, harassment, etc.)

Telegram

“A cloud-based instant messaging app, that offers secure text messages, group chat, voice messaging, broadcasting channels, etc.”

• Anonymity: Telegram prioritizes users’ policies, but still, it’s a private messaging app, so you can’t let your kid use Telegram without any restrictions. For example, its end-to-end encryption of messages has posed many problems for parents as they are unable to figure out whom their kids are talking to. So, keep a check on your kid’s phone if he/she uses Telegram or you can make use of a parental control app ( e.g., FlashGet Kids app).

BeReal

“The working principle of BeReal is just like Instagram, where you can chat, share photos and videos with your friend.”

But the difference between Instagram and Bereal is that in BeReal there’s a system of catch. In this what happens is that someone randomly messages you to share your real-time photo ( from the front face as well as the background image).

• Distraction: The negative aspect of BeReal is that when a kid is notified by a message, he/she gets distracted from the important task and delves into the digital world.

VSCO

“VSCO is an image creating app, you can’t only click the pic but can edit and post it on the profile, as that of Instagram.”

Predators can track location: The problematic thing for parents is that kids share their real-time location on the app, which you know can pose serious issues like harassment, abduction, etc. Moreover, some photo editing tools are so costly that if your kid decides to purchase them, it can become problematic for your pocket.

Houseparty

“Houseparty is a video-calling app, where friends can interact through live videos and chatting in the comment box.”

Well! Houseparty became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep friends in touch while maintaining social distancing.

No parental control: But the point to discuss with parents is that there’s no feature in this app to keep children away from unhealthy content.

No check on friend requests: Moreover, people can join groups even if they don’t even know a single person there.

Yubo

“Yubo is a social networking home for millions of users, which keeps them in touch through sharing photos, chatting and live streaming.”

Inappropriate content: Yubo is most popular among teens due to its innovative approach to socialization, but parents should be concerned that this app is inappropriate for young minds because there are some people who use it to share explicit data and try to make illegal relations with other users.

Now you have a better idea of what social apps can do to your child if not used properly. So be careful and keep an eye on your kid’s onscreen activities.

How to block adult apps like Instagram for your kids?

If you feel that your child is involved in a false online connection or is wasting his/her precious time on social media ( which should be given to some productive task), then immediately take a step to remove the app from the root or you can use a parental control platform for this purpose like; FlashGet Kids app.

“A parental control software through which parents can monitor their kids 27/4, to keep them protected from internet garbage.”

FlashGet Kids app has countless amazing features to secure your kid’s online environment, such as;

• Remote camera
• One-way audio
• Screen mirroring
• Snapshot
• Notification
• Screen time
• App blocker
• Location tracker, and many more.

So let’s discuss how you can install the FlashGet Kids app and how to use its time limit feature.

How to download the FlashGet Kids app?

• On the parent’s device, search for the FlashGet Kids app on Google Play, and install the app.
• Install FlashGet Kids on your child device by visiting flashget.kids
• Create your FlashGet account and bind the code with a 9-digit binding code.
• Give necessary permissions and configure settings
• On the dashboard of the app, tap on “Usage limits” > “App time limit” > “Add limit”.

Tips for Parents

In this overwhelming digital world, parents need to monitor their children’s daily tasks like where they, how’s their friends’ nature, etc. So to assist you in this case, let’s discuss some practical tips to keep your kids safe from internet toxicity, without giving them a restricted feel.

• Brief your children about cyberbullying. Brief your kids about the potential risks ( scamming, kidnapping) and make them sure to inform you if they feel uneasy or frightened by any text or something.
• Set the age limit on your child’s device. Some social apps are age-restricted, so make sure to sign in account by yourself, because kids can make a lie in this case.
• Restriction on downloading apps. Warn your kid not to download any social app without your permission. You better investigate the app and make a decision which you feel is suitable.

• Secure passwords. Advice your children not to share their personal information ( Passwords, name, address, location, personal photos, etc.) with anyone.

You can apply all the above parenting techniques with the help of the FlashGet Kids app through its “App blocker“, “Time limit”, “Notification” and many other fabulous features very easily, as it has a simple, decent, and hassle-free interface.

FAQs