Our work saves you time! If you decide that you agree with us, then we may earn a small commission, which does nothing to your price. *There may be affiliate links throughout this post because we’ve tested and trust a small list of parental control solutions. We trust them and we think you should, too! In the main tab of Whisper, users can check out the most popular posts at. If your kid is using social media, then they need Bark. Whisper is an anonymous social network that gives users an easy way to share their secrets and interact with the other users by responding to their secrets or even starting a conversation through chat. Parents should take caution when deciding if their young kids should use this app based on the risks noted.Īre you interested in having greater insight into the social media platforms that your kids are using? Bark is one of the best platforms we’ve tested.
Also, a general rule, if an app cannot be easily monitored, parents may want to consider whether it’s appropriate for middle school students. In the settings, you can hide “NSFW” (not safe for work) content from showing up in the Home feed, but this is easily switched.Īnonymity fuels risky behavior. No Parental Controls – the Whisper app can’t be monitored with conventional web filters and is not stopped by Open DNS. The problem of cyberbullying on Whisper, particularly in the instance of inappropriate comments made on the app following the death of a North Carolina high school student, has prompted an online petition for Whisper to change its cyber bullying and age policy. Risky Behavior Skyrockets – because Whisper allows users to remain anonymous, teens will likely say things that they wouldn’t say otherwise, including posts about teachers, etc. CoolMomTech said, “If you’ve enabled location services, your whispers can show up in lists of nearby whispers, which increases the possibility that you’re not so anonymous after all.” No Privacy – Whisper reveals a user’s location, which can compromise privacy and safety.
He then drove to her house and told her by phone how to sneak out by removing a screen and they drove to a hotel where they had sex. The Whisper user said she was 14 and the predator had her send sexual photos. Detectives in Seattle said that a man admitted to using Whisper to arrange to meet a 12-year-old for sex. Predators – Whisper has been used for trolling potential victims. In July 2015, a Grand Rapids man was found guilty of soliciting naked pictures from underage girls through the chat feature.
The ability to connect with others with FREE private messaging is inherently risky. Sexualized – plenty of suggestive, sexually charged material in the form of provocative pictures and words (“heart this picture if you’ve masturbated today”). The APP store description says this, “build lasting, meaningful relationships in a community built around trust and honesty,” which is somewhat strange, since the app’s appeal is based on anonymity, making community building difficult at best.ĪPP Store rating: 17+ (infrequent/mild profanity or crude humor, suggestive themes, alcohol, tobacco, or drug use) Description: A way to anonymously share feelings with pictures and words, and if so desired, connect with individuals through a messaging option.