Skout, a well-liked platform for folks searching for romantic connections, may not be a suitable place for the younger generation because it can harbor inappropriate interpersonal interactions. As more apps like Skout get introduced into the market, it is becoming crucial for parents to be aware of the other options that exist, to protect the safety and well-being of our children.
In this article, we dive into 8 dating apps that are similar to Skout that parents should be aware of to equip them with the knowledge that will help them make better decisions for their families.
What’s the Skout app?
Skout is a dating app that makes use of location-based social network technology to allow users to discover possible matches within their surrounding area.
Skout, the original Siteweb launched in 2008, connects people who are trying to find romantic relationships, friendships, or casual acquaintances.
The key job of the app is to show a map and indicate the neighborhood users. It provides a possibility of discovering targets that are nearby and attractive to the user.
The Skout platform was one where teens can become members and register as such. It had a floor age limit of 13 before 2012. Its higher popularity such apps also are with adults.
This could be the reason for concern as it may not be a safe place to hang out for the youth.
What happened to Skout app?
Skout dating app enjoyed a huge popularity in just a few years. It now boasts tens of millions of registered users.
Conversely, the system raises some general issues regarding users’ security and also imposes age restrictions through a digital identity that must be at least 18 years of age to register.
In 2012, scandalous cases were revealed when men were exposed to lying and using the app to attack teen girls.
Another known case is about a 21-year-old who raped a 13-year-old girl where they met on Skout. The man poses himself as a teen boy.
Therefore, Skout made a decision to terminate its services for users under 18 years old; undertaken to prohibit this problem.
However, those instances also turned into grim pictures of the reality of dating apps wherein parents have to have more control over their children’s answers online.
Risks of Skout and similar apps
Dating apps, such as Skout, are part of the daily life of many people. With them come dangers and risks more likely to happen to young people, mostly to teenagers and children.
While these platforms may seem innocuous and exciting, they can expose underage individuals to various threats, including:
Online predators: Dating apps can be easily conquered by sexual predators who disguise themselves as high school students, and then vibrantly present them to teens in an undesirable exercise.
Cyberbullying and harassment: Anonymity and absence of moderation in some dating apps can leave users subjected to online bullying, harassment, and sharing of non-ethical, inappropriate content.
Exposure to inappropriate content: Dating apps are mainly adult-oriented. There is quite a chance for them to contain statements related to sex, drug usage or other adult-like topics which underage people cannot comprehend.
Privacy and security risks: Not all dating apps feature strong privacy and security features, which allows users to become victims of data sharing without their permission.
8 apps like Skout parents must be aware of
Social networks like the Skout app have gotten very famous, especially among young people.
Nonetheless, as a parent, it is your responsibility to be aware of the risks and dangers these apps might pose to your kids.
To help you navigate this digital world and keep your children safe, we’ve compiled eight dating apps like Skout that every parent should know about.
MeetMe
MeetMe is a social media and dating app that enables users to communicate with friends or make acquaintances in their local area.
Even though the goal is young adults, users as young as 13 can also create accounts, which puts the app under the microscope of parents. Moreover, there is no age-verification process in place.
Features:
- Area-based matching to find people who are nearby.
- Instant Live video streaming and group chat rooms
- Virtual gifts and in-app purchases.
- Gaming features and integration into other social network channels.
Hinge
Hinge is a dating application that aims to create more meaningful connections through its function of mutual interests and social circles of users.
Although it has been assigned an age limit of 18+, it is well-known for appealing especially to young teenagers, which creates alarm among parents and online safety advocates.
Features:
- Detailed profiles paired with chat starters to provoke conversations.
- An option of liking or commenting on a particular part of a user profile profile.
- Instant friendships are formed through shared social media integration.
- Option to adjust filters for age, distance, and other items.
This app targets a wide age group. Thus, parents need to consider the possible risks that the younger generation might encounter if placed in such environments.
Grindr
Grindr has a reputation as a popular dating application mainly focused on the LGBTQ+ community, especially gay, bisexual, and queer guys.
Although the app is recommended for users aged 18 and up, there have been cases of underage users accessing the site.
Features:
- Location-based matching to see the users nearby.
- Chat option and being able to share images and videos.
- Options to set preferences for age, body type, or other criteria.
- The connection with social media networks and the activities schedule.
In consideration of the app being adults only and inadequate age verification procedures, parents need to be vigilant about the possible risks of minors getting access to Grindr.
HOLLA
HOLLA is a live video chat and dating app that puts users in touch with people from all over the world using random video calls. Despite having a rating of 18+, the app is very much popular with young people.
Features:
- Random live video-caching with strangers on social media platforms.
- Ability to filter matches by location, gender, and interests.
- Virtual treats and in-game buys.
- Social media platform integration
Given the way the app allows people to have a video chat with random strangers, parents should be concerned about the potential risks for minors who may use the app.
Moco
Moco is a location-based dating and social networking app that connects users nearby. Although the app is designed for users who are 18 or older, there have been questions about children gaining access to the system.
Features:
- Location-based matching to find other users nearby.
- Chat function, photo, and video sharing features.
- Opportunity to set the parameters of age, distance, and others.
- Integration with social media platforms
Considering the risk of exposure to inadequate interactions and adult content, it is highly recommended that parents be aware of these issues associated with Moco.
Spotafriend
Spotafriend is a social media app, rather than a dating app, that will help users to get connected with fellow people having the same interests as them and also they will be able to find friends within locality.
Features:
- Location-based matching to only get the ones within proximity.
- Availability of the chat accepting to share photos and videos.
- Possibility of filtering any options you may think are unsuitable criteria based on age, interests, and so on.
- Social Media Integration.
Although the Spotafriend app has been built to allow people to meet friends, parents are encouraged to stay informed and monitor how their kids are using the app.
MyLOL
MyLOL is a social media platform and dating service made specifically for teens and young adults.
The app has a minimum age rating for users of 13. However, it has been criticized for the potential risks, like inappropriate exposure, it poses to underage people.
Features:
- Location-based feature to find nearby users.
- Chat feature along with the option to share photos and videos.
- Options for age, interests, or other criteria selection.
- Integration with social media platforms.
- Virtual giving and in-app purchasing.
Despite the claim that MyLOL is a protection space for small people to connect, parents have raised some alarming issues on the platform due to missing robust age-verified features.
Yubo
Yubo (formerly Yellow) is a social networking app and enables communications with strangers via live video streaming and chat rooms.
The app is rated for ages 13 and above, but it became a popular destination for a lot of underage users instead of involving in inappropriate activities.
Features of Yubo include:
- A live video streaming and group chat room.
- Capability to form and participate in interest-based communities.
- Location-targeted matching to identify users in the area.
- Integrate with social media platforms
- Virtual gifts and in-app purchases.
Because of the nature of this app which is centered on interaction with strangers, parents need to be extremely careful if their kids express an interest in using Yubo.
How to know if your child is using a dating app?
It is of course not a simple way to recognize if your child is using dating apps. Because children, especially adolescents, could be deliberately trying to hide his/her online activities.
On the other hand, parents must be cognizant of some of these signs that they could be using dating apps, to keep them from any potential danger.
Here are some indicators that may suggest your child is using dating apps, whether it’s Skout or not.
- Increased secrecy and privacy: If your child frequently clears the browsing history or tries to conceal any activities on the device, that can be an early warning signal that the child is secretly using certain apps.
- Excessive or late-night device usage: Mobile dating apps waste the greater part of the user’s time for chatting. When your child spends more screen time than usual, especially late at night, you should try to get deeper insights to their phone activities.
- Suspicious app downloads or purchases: Check for unfamiliar and suspicious app icons on your child’s device as well as for additional in-apps purchases or virtual gifts for additional features. To be aware of the abnormal costs.
- Changes in behavior or mood: You can tell if the kid is having some issues coping with virtual communication by looking at their level of socialization skills, changes in behavior patterns or mood swings.
By communicating in a formal and sincere manner about online dating with your child and the potential dangers in the Internet, you will be greatly contributing to the child’s safety.
In addition, you can adopt parental control or monitoring applications to keep track of what your child does online.
How can FlashGet Kids keep kids safe from dangerous dating apps?
With the aid of parental control tools like the FlashGet Kids app, parents can take preventive measures to guard their children’s activities online.
FlashGet Kids is a holistic parental control feature specifically tailored to ensure a safe and clean online setting for kids. This app can very effectively help parents curtail their children’s online dating activities and access to inappropriate applications and content.
Here’s how FlashGet Kids can help safeguard kids:
- App blocking: FlashGet Kids helps parents compile a personalized list of either approved or restricted apps that their children can access on their gadgets.
- Screen time management: The app introduces screen time management features. Parents can set for their kids whether daily or weekly for app usage or internet access.
- Location tracking and Geo-Fence: With the GPS technology, the app will show kids’ real-time movements and record the location history. Geo-fencing helps parents ensure that younger children do not travel to dangerous and unfamiliar areas.
- Remote monitoring and control: With this parental control app, you can easily have information supplied to you on your child’s behaviors off-site, while configuring their settings depending on your preferences via your device.
Flashget Kids is equipped with all-around functions that can be used by parents proactively to ward off potential threats online and offline, not only in the dating app.
Final words
While mobile apps such as Skout provide new communication channels for users, they carry significant risks, particularly for minors.
Parents ought to make themselves familiar with every app as much as possible, but provided that kids are kept well-informed about online safety with open-minded conversation and education, it seems to be the best way out.
Through vigilance and guidance, parents can protect their children from the bad side of technology, but at the same time, teach them Age-appropriate technology skills.
