Navigating Fetlife app: A guide to adult communities online

The Fetlife app is a dating site for racy and non-standard sexual practices, working with users from the BDSM community and fetishes. While it does seem to have a huge pool to target for niche groups even though this particular app is for adults only, it does raise a lot of worries for parents concerned about their children’s internet use.

Is Fetlife safe for young people or should parents be concerned? Now let’s analyze this issue, and proceed to describe the most important features of the platform.

What is the Fetlife app?

Fetlife is a site for all individuals interested in fetish lifestyles, as it works as a large social network connecting those who are seeking BDSM and Kinks. It’s not the typical social media, Kinks and BDSM preferences can be quite thick to go through different styles and merges, making the site a bit different from the rest out there.

You can download the app for fetlife.com, and it can be used by anyone who is over the age of 18 and looking to explore more or meet with people of such interest.

In terms of its social media conception, it is possible to say that out of all the interfaces, Fetlife is the one that is the most independent, as its functionality includes such core elements:

• User Profiles. User profiles can be full user profiles that have user role(s) – Dominants or Submissives, kinks, and other useful information.
• Groups. Cover various subjects, fetishes, and even ways of life discussions. The general themes provided in those include advice, stories, or even activities.
• Events. Look for places to attend such as local events, workshops and informally set meetings which are called munches and play parties.
• Messaging. Any user or any member of a group can privately connect with another for the purpose of sharing and helping other users in order to exchange experiences.

Applications like Facebook and Instagram facilitate social interaction among users while Fetlife is set up for a certain audience. Herein I explain why it’s different:

Why should parents be concerned about Fetlife (fetlife.com)?

Fetlife can come across as quite disturbing and therefore parents must place restrictions on their children when it comes to accessing this platform.

Did you know that over 70% of parents have no idea about the different applications their children use? This only increases the chances of their being Fetlife users without parental supervision. Here are my main concerns regarding Fetlife.

• Target audience. FetLife is intended for those aged eighteen and above. However, without regulation, children may still explore its themes, which can taint their innocent minds.
• Risk of exposure to explicit content. It’s a known fact that Fetlife encourages users to post graphic discussions, Fetlife personal profile pictures, and videos of themselves and this isn’t suitable for children or teenagers.
• Privacy risks. Fetlife has minimal KPIs which means that circumvention and abuse may put my and other user’s data at risk.
• Access to unfiltered communities. In contrast to popular sites, Fetlife groups lack filtering meaning that inappropriate and even abusive discussions could be exposed for users to see.

Key features of the Fetlife app

In contrast to other social applications, it places a strong emphasis on connecting people.

Let’s examine the features that make Fetlife unique.

Some may see the FetLife app as similar to the Bumble BFF app in terms of benefits. However, FetLife takes the enjoyment aspect a notch higher by being a specialized platform that allows social interaction for adults.

The Bumble BFF app offers services that include nurturing precious friendships. In contrast, FetLife specializes in social contact with a particular audience.

Is Fetlife safe for teens?

FetLife is a platform that should only be accessed by adults. Its goal is to provide a space for people willing to experiment with different lifestyle options. However, it is very concerning if a teenager applies for it.  So, it is best to discuss the safety features and the potential risks that exist for underage users.

• Age Restrictions and Verification.  Fetlife claims to impose restrictions on minors below the age of 18, but its age verification system isn’t reliable which creates a loophole for some minors to join the forum. Studies estimate that 44% of teenagers claim to have visited adult-only sites even where restrictions were in place.
• Privacy and Security. Indeed, Fetlife advocates for privacy however the recent emergence of  Fetlife video hacking has dealt a heavy blow to users’ trust regarding data tampering.
• Inappropriate Content. The platform exposes poor teenagers to adult content which can be quite distressing or even traumatizing. It does not filter fetlife con discussions which are a plethora of mature content.
• Online Predators. Like every other platform without proper enforcement measures, FetLife is susceptible to predators. These predators target unfamiliar and naive users.

The dangers of Fetlife for teens

The platform is mainly targeted towards consenting adults. However, if it’s accessed by teenagers, then the impact can be devastating to their mental, emotional, and psychological well-being. Let’s go over the key dangers below.

• Exposure to adult theme. Fetish and adult content often suggested during the teenage years disrupt the psychological and emotional growth of the individual. 61% of the surveyed teenagers who came into contact with adult material online felt uncomfortable or distressed in the process.
• Mental and Emotional Risks. Engagement in adult sites might diminish the adolescent’s confidence and bring confusion in terms of the boundaries that should be maintained.
• Scams and Exploitation. Advertising of false events is one extreme profile of sham campaigns that tend to delude young users, unfortunately. Another one is the emperors using the FetLife porn material to abuse or take advantage of the minors.

Over 30% of teens on the internet have said they met someone who later turned out to be a predator.

How can parents protect their children from Fetlife app?

As caretakers, it is important to shield children and teenagers from detrimental substances across the internet, such as Fetlife. Here’s how you can help shield them from this:

1. Monitor and Restrict Use. The approach is to base parental supervision on a kid’s internet activity. You can urge them to give you their social media handles and employ tools such as FlashGet Kids to supervise their usage of the internet.

In circumstances that are required, try and limit access to sites such as Fetlife. If they happen to get access to sensitive content, make an effort to limit their access. This enables them to develop mentally in such a way that they do not access themes that are adult.

2. Open communication. It is a two-way conversation that cannot be avoided with a teenager while explaining the importance of staying safe on the internet. Allow them to make inquiries and offer guidance on what they should consider while browsing.

Broach the subject in detail, like what FetLife is, what types of films are appropriate for them, and what is not proper for them.

3. Setting boundaries: Be specific with your teen on what guidelines to follow regarding internet usage or what apps to download. Any adult platforms like Fetlife, for example, are completely off-limits.

Not only implementing time control for screens but also ensuring the frequency at which they are using apps relevant to their age protects them from online threats.

4. Education about Consent and Privacy is crucial. This is the right time to teach your teen the importance of obtaining their consent before and after sharing any information online.

They shouldn’t give away personal information to strangers across the internet. This includes their home address, the school they attend, or any other family-related information.

Who should use the Fetlife app?

Is Fetlife Appropriate For Teens? Definitely no. No teenage individual should consider using Fetlife as this app is not safe and it has a lot of adult content without any needed precautions.

Suitable audience. Fetlife is recommended for individuals over the age of 18, for individuals wanting to try out alternative lifestyle options.

Social media apps such as Bumble BFF are a great way for teenagers to protect themselves from adult content while making online friends with features such as parental control. Strict rules and supervision are necessary for Fetlife to ensure the well-being of the younger audience using the app.

Sites and apps like Fetlife

Those looking for an unconventional relationship style have many Fetlife alternatives to turn to, so better options are bound to come to them. Here are five FetLife similar sites worth exploring:

• Alt.com. This is a dating site specially designed to assist people looking for BDSM, Kinks, or any other type of unusual relationship.
• KinkD. This is a specially made mobile searching application that caters exclusively to the kink community.
• Collarspace: A forum where people with various fetishes and relationships can come and meet new people.
• Whiplr. To begin with, this is a relationship search app and social platform along with the facility of sending messages, video calls, and various forums for everyone who is into kinks.
• Fetster. It is the closest site to Fetlife which offers its customers a greater feeling of privacy when creating the community.

Such networks focus on adults who would be interested in engaging in dialogue and interaction while exploring different lifestyles.

Conclusion

The Fetlife app is mainly targeted at adult users who want to explore a wider choice of sexual preferences but are not suited for teens due to inappropriate content and safety issues. Children can be safeguarded by parents monitoring internet activity placing restrictions and having discussions with them.

In order to save the process of internet usage, we advise the installation of FlashGet Kids which is an app for parents and children that blocks sites like Fetlife and encourages healthy habits.

Moreover, FlashGet Kids allows parents to steer teens to age-appropriate sites while promoting children’s safety as well.