When you ask a couple how they met, it's pretty common for them to answer, "On the internet. And though most opt for Snapchat or Instagram to widen their social circles, some are curious enough to try one of the many messaging apps that promise to help them "make new friends. At this point, most parents would say "no way" and stop reading right now. But these apps are a fact of life for many teens especially LGBTQ youth who may not have a supportive community at school.
So even if your kid doesn't use one, they may get exposed to one through their friends. That's why it's really important to discuss the very real risks these apps pose. Here are just a few:. So, what can you do? You can try to prevent your teen from installing dating apps by using parental controls or setting up restrictions that block off-limit sites or require them to get approval for all apps they download learn how to do this in iOS and Android.
These solutions aren't foolproof, but they add a layer of difficulty that some teens may deem too high. If you learn your teen is using dating apps, take the opportunity to talk about using social media safely and responsibly -- and discuss what's out of bounds. Keep lines of communication open, especially since teens sometimes hide these apps in "vaults" or apps that look harmless such as a calculator. Talk to them about how they approach dating and relationships and how to create a healthy, fulfilling one -- and note that these usually require more than a swipe.
Below are some of the dating, "make new friends," and hook-up apps that teens are using. Note that this is by no means an exhaustive list, and there are plenty more like these in the app stores.
Hot or Not : This app was originally a website and still is and has gone through lots of iterations. They both rely on swiping left or right and location sharing and are almost exactly the same in terms of how they look and function. If you sign up via email, you have to enter a birth date that indicates you're over 18, though there's no verification. When teens 13 and older try to log in to Badoo via Facebook, they can, but the Hot or Not app doesn't allow it.
