Online dating is no longer just something adults do. Nowadays, youths have easier access to various online platforms and are also excited about teen dating apps & sites that help them connect with others around the world. That’s very natural and normal. The teenage years are when friendships and crushes begin to take on great importance.
However, this curiosity comes with risk. Many teens turn everyday social media into dating-like platforms. Also, some teens use “friendship apps” that blur the line between making friends and seeking romantic interests.
That’s why parents need to know how these apps work and what young teens prefer. This article will help you gain this knowledge and learn strategies to ensure your child’s safety.
Are there any dating apps for teens under 18?
The straightforward answer is no. Although no dating apps are available to teens under 18, there are so-called friendship apps for them. Strictly, online dating apps allow individuals aged 18 and above to join. Such friend-making apps for teens typically require users to be between 13 and 16 years old.
This is not just a random rule. It was created due to laws protecting children’s privacy and safety, such as COPPA in the US. Also, the age requirement for all apps was made due to safety concerns.
However, the reality is different. As it is clear that children can’t officially use typical adult dating apps, they start using social media for the same purposes. And, no doubt, this can be a significant concern for parents, bringing unique challenges.
Empowering parents with the knowledge and the best tool to protect children.
Why do teens use dating apps?
Many teenagers use dating apps nowadays. Are you interested in knowing the reason for this? If you want to know what attracts them to use dating apps, you may find the points listed below useful.
Ease of access
Free teen dating apps/sites are easy to access more than ever. What they need is a phone and an internet connection to chat and meet with new people. Such apps are far different from traditional dating. It doesn’t require face-to-face meetings. By using an app, they can interact at any time and from anywhere. Hence, this quick access makes it appealing to teens.
Wider social circle
Dating apps and social media open the door for some teens to meet random strangers beyond their limited friend circle. They can interact with others from different schools and cities. This feeling excites them. It widens their world and gives them more options to explore.
Anonymity
Exploring the online world and interacting anonymously seems attractive to curious and sensitive teenagers. They can choose what to share and when. Essentially, it provides them with a sense of control and a safe space to engage in conversations with others without the fear of being judged. This is particularly helpful for shy and introverted teens who struggle to express their feelings more freely.
Exploration of identity
Adolescence is when you figure out who you are. Dating or friendship apps serve as an opportunity for teens to explore themselves and find like-minded peers. It helps them to understand what type of people they want to connect with, while allowing them to experiment with different ways of presenting themselves. They don’t feel much pressure in this.
Best dating apps parents should know
Understanding where these interactions might occur is crucial for parental vigilance. Let’s review some popular online dating apps that your children may use. Teens might access apps based on peer popularity, regardless of region.
Friendship apps for teens
1. Yubo
- Age rating: 13+
It is a social discovery app called “Tinder for teens. In this app, teens can engage in live streams and swipe to connect with new friends for video calls or text messaging. It also supports group chats.
What parents should know: Your kid may be at risk of exposure to strangers. They may also experience inappropriate live content.
2. SpotAFriend
- Age rating: 13-19
It is a mobile-only app, designed to connect teenagers through swipe-based friend matching.
What parents should know: It is safe for teens. But there are no strong verification checks.
3. Skout
- Age rating: 13+
Skout is a location-based app. This helps to meet new people in separate communities. This app is for both adults and teens. Users can have location-based random chats and live streaming.
What parents should know: Location sharing with strangers online increases the risk of predators and scams.
4. MeetMe
- Age rating: The minimum age requirement is 17+
If someone is so much into meeting random strangers, the MeetMe app is for them. The basic purpose of MeetMe is to let you make friends. There are live video and text chat options. Also, you can discover people who live near you.
5. MyLOL
- Age rating: 13-19
MyLOL is known as the top teen dating app; young people from all over the world are actively engaged in chat rooms and messaging on it.
What parents should know: There is weak age verification in place. It means adults may pose as teens.
6. Teen Chat
- Age rating: 13+
Teen Chat is a chat forum. Here, every teenager can connect with others from around the world. It offers chat rooms and topic-based discussions.
What parents should know: It becomes easy for adults to make fake accounts.
7. Hoop
- Age rating: 13+
It is a companion app to Snapchat, allowing users to add new friends by swiping.
What parents should know: Using this app quickly leads to private Snapchat interactions. But disappearing messages and stories give many young users the illusion that sharing private photos and information is safe.
Social media apps used for dating
1. Instagram
- Age rating: 13+
It is a popular photo and video-sharing app. This is usually used by teens to socialize via posts, comments, and DMs.
What parents should know: It can be used for flirting and connecting with strangers. Minors aged 13 and older should have parental permission and supervision.
2. Snapchat
- Age rating: Only 13+
Snapchat is a messaging app. One of its standout features, disappearing messages, makes private interaction more appealing for teens. And other features, like Stories and the Snap Map, as well as friend Streaks, all get Gen Z and Gen Alpha hooked on it.
What parents should know: When the message disappears automatically, it makes monitoring difficult. Also, location sharing is risky. Parents’ monitoring is necessary.
3. TikTok
- Age rating: 13+
TikTok is a short-form video platform. It is used for entertainment and social connection. You can share videos, watch live streaming, and use DMs on TikTok.
What parents should know: Unwanted contact from strangers, inappropriate content, and scam accounts are rampant on this platform. Young people often lack the ability to recognize these online dangers. Not recommended for minors; the endless scrolling of short videos can be addictive.
Adult online dating apps
The following are dating apps designed for adults only. The parental concern is that many young teens try to fake their age to join. Some require constant location tracking, making them more risky. These platforms often lack strict age verification and content moderation measures. Let’s go through and be aware of them on your teen’s devices.
1. Tinder
It is the world’s most popular dating app, focusing on casual connections. Users can get swipe-based matching and chatting.
Age rating: It requires a minimum age of 18 to sign in.
2. Bumble
Essentially, on Bumble, women make the first move. You can explore features like Bumble Date and video calls.
Age rating: 18+
3. Hinge
Hinge is a dating app which is created for serious relationships. All users who are looking for casual swiping are not allowed here. You can use prompts, likes, and detailed profiles.
Age rating: 18+
4. Grindr
The dating app, Grindr, is popular among the LGBTQ+ community, primarily for gay. It offers location-based profiles and chat.
Age rating: 18+
5. Hot or Not
On the Hot or Not app, people can rate others’ looks via photos and swiping, then start chatting if they’re interested in each other. Honestly, It encourages appearance-based validation.
Age rating: 18+
6. Happn
This app is made for those who cross paths in real life. It offers location-based matching, profile viewing, and random chats.
Age rating: 18+
The dangers of online dating apps for teens
Learning about the dangers of dating apps for teens helps you understand them better. In this section, we are going to list some risks that may make you more aware of dating apps for your teen. Have a look at them.
Exposure to inappropriate content and interaction
You should be aware that dating apps are not always designed with teens in mind. This means that they may involve adult conversations, rude messages, and mature content. These can confuse them and make them uncomfortable, also harming their mental health.
Grooming and predators
The second main risk is that some adults may pretend to be teens to trick and scam young users. These groomers and predators try to build trust first, then might use friendly words and promises to convince teens to share personal details or even meet in real life. Hence, this poses a significant risk.
Privacy risks
Young teens may underestimate or not know how risky it is to share private information like nude photos or their home address, and how fast these spread. Once they share, strangers could misuse it in harmful ways. They may track them or contact them outside the app. Hence, this makes privacy the biggest concern of using these apps.
Emotional and psychological impacts
Many teens are sensitive to how others see them. And when using teen dating apps, they may be affected so much. Once they feel ignored or rejected, they think that they are not good enough. Constant comparison with others and low self-esteem bring stress and depression. Moreover, interactions seem positive sometimes. But they still feel the pressure to look perfect. And this harms their emotional and psychological health.
In-person meetups
Some teens may meet the person they met online. This may sound exciting. However, it’s also dangerous for them. Why? The person they are meeting might not be who they claimed to be. This means meeting a stranger without precautions may put teens at risk of serious harm. The person they meet is not verified, which may put them in unsafe situations.
How to keep your child safe from dating apps?
It’s worth noting that while online dating apps have a higher exposure rate among teenagers than we expected in a recent study from Northwestern Medicine, and the risks cannot be ignored, Lilian Li, a postdoctoral fellow and lead author, advises parents not to panic excessively if they discover their children using dating apps. We are adding a section now to give you relief with actionable suggestions on better understanding and how to keep your child safe from dating apps.
Open communication
The first tip is to build trust with your child to protect them from the dangers of teen dating apps/websites. Open communication is key; try to discuss popular teen apps openly and associated risks. Teach them how to adjust privacy settings and handle any content or interactions that make them feel uncomfortable.
Set clear rules
The next step is to establish age-appropriate rules and boundaries. These rules pertain to online activities, device usage, and other related matters. Make it clear which apps are safe, what behaviors are risky and not allowed, and how long they can spend online. You must ensure that your child understands the reason behind these rules.
Use parental control tools
In this modern era, technology can also help keep your children safe. FlashGet Kids, one of the most widely used parental control apps among parents, enables them to monitor children’s device usage, track live location, set screen time limits, and block unsafe platforms. Moreover, FlashGet Kids helps track a child’s digital habits, making it easier to spot unusual behaviour early.
Conclusion
When you want to keep your teens safe from teen dating apps, it requires a balance of guidance and trust. This means all you need is an appropriate parental involvement and open communication. Both things are the foundation to keep your kids safe. Your child should feel safe while sharing their online experiences.
If you add a tool like FlashGet Kids, it can make the protection easier. This tool keeps track of app usage. So, you can be careful in advance. Not just this, if there’s any unsafe platform, it restricts that. In simple words, it acts as a protective layer for your child. You should remember that it’s your responsibility to stay informed about online dangers and how to avoid them. Also, you should adapt to changing technologies for your kids.
