作为父母，保护孩子是您的职责。毕竟，他们来这里的时间不长，也不了解这个世界存在的潜在威胁。
所以你锁上门，限制他们的垃圾食品摄入量(junk food intake)，并实施宵禁。他们在自己的房间里安然无恙，对吧？错了(Wrong)。如果您的孩子可以不受监控地访问智能设备，那么还有另一个迫在眉睫的威胁(looming threat) ——移动(— mobile)应用程序。
有些移动应用程序伪装成“儿童友好型”，但实际上并非如此。这里有七个你应该知道的。
HIP名列榜首是有特殊原因的。孩子们(Children)可以使用这个应用程序来隐藏不合适的应用程序(plain sight)。它通过将应用程序伪装成不那么邪恶的东西来(something less sinister)工作。
例如，一个看起来不过是音乐应用的约会应用(music app)。HIP这个名字是Hide it Pro的首字母缩写。但是，它会在您孩子的设备上 显示为HIP 。
它可以在应用商店(app store)免费获得。您的孩子可以设置PIN以隐藏保险库中的各种文件，包括照片和消息。
因此，如果您是一位经常检查您孩子的移动活动的家长，那么他们就有可能使用此应用程序欺骗您。
此外，还有另一个类似的应用程序值得关注，称为Poof。
对于年轻群体来说， Facebook(Facebook)是一个过时的平台。他们的替代方案是Snapchat。如果您不熟悉Snapchat，它是一款可让您与朋友分享视频的应用程序。听起来还不错吧？那么什么是红旗呢？
您在此平台上发布的内容类似于Instagram Stories，会在 24 小时后消失。这意味着您永远无法真正知道您的孩子在这个应用程序上做了什么，因为没有办法回去检查。
确保您的孩子安全并且不做任何他们不应该在应用程序上做的事情是具有挑战性的。因此，为了安全起见，最好将此应用程序远离您孩子的小工具。
所有的孩子都喜欢它，甚至一些成年人也使用它。这是人们用来从他们最喜欢的歌曲中重演他们最喜欢的舞蹈动作或模仿流行曲目的音乐应用程序。
在您阅读Common Sense Media上父母的评论之前，这一切听起来都很天真。有些人担心他们的孩子在使用该应用程序时所接触的语言，这是理所当然的。
更不用说，还有年轻的眼睛不应该看的暗示性舞蹈动作（更不用说做）。我们有没有(Did)提到成年人正在使用它？好吧，它值得第二次提及。
值得注意的是，该应用程序正在删除 13 岁以下用户的帐户。但是，一些父母可能仍希望为 16 岁以上的青少年禁用此应用程序。
小心用户可以伪造他们的年龄，所以如果您的孩子低于限制，他们仍然可以创建一个帐户。
每当您有一款面向青少年隐藏身份的应用程序时，父母都应该担心。正如您想象的那样，它是网络欺凌的理想场所。
此应用程序使您能够创建帐户、隐藏您的身份以及匿名联系他人。该应用程序专注于匿名询问其他用户问题。孩子(Kids)就是孩子，所以你可以期待他们中的一些人会问一些古怪的问题（其中一些可能是不尊重或令人尴尬的）。
然后还有人担心谈话并不总是私密的。一些用户互相询问电话号码和Kik用户名。
说到这个……
青少年可能会将此作为与朋友交流的另一个信使。但是，当您仔细观察时，您会发现一些对潜在有害行为的担忧。
例如，您可以与任何人交换照片、草图、GIF 和视频（即使他们不是您的朋友）。因此，您的孩子不仅可能接触到不适当的内容，而且还可能与冒充儿童的陌生人接触。
不幸的是，没有家长控制，您的孩子可以使用密码保护他们的帐户。如果您不知道，那么您将被排除在孩子生活的那一部分之外。
如果您不在约会游戏中(dating game)，那么Tinder可能还没有出现在您的雷达上。这是一个允许用户对彼此的照片进行评分的应用程序（这已经是一个有毒的开始）。
由于您可以使用GPS 跟踪(GPS tracking)，因此您可以找到您周围 10 英里范围内的人。这是人们将其用于约会的原因之一。它还有助于将您与其他潜在的“伴侣”相匹配。
该应用程序确实要求用户至少 18 岁，但它也不会验证年龄(t verify age)。因此，父母有责任确保他们的孩子无论如何都不会使用它。
另一个类似的应用是Yubo，它被称为“ Tinder for teens”。与Tinder一样，它具有毒性，允许用户接受或拒绝彼此的照片（通过向左或向右滑动）。
这是社交媒体的祸根，人们在不知不觉中伤害了彼此的感情而没有悔意。难怪青少年抑郁症呈上升趋势！
保护您的孩子免受掠食者的侵害（老少皆宜）(Protect Your Kids From Predators (Young & Old))
在数字时代做父母很艰难。您必须担心老变态者以及粗鲁的年轻人的掠夺性行为。
最好的方法是密切关注您的孩子正在使用的应用程序。做的不仅仅是查看图标，查看应用程序的描述，进行谷歌搜索，并查看其他家长在(Google search)Common Sense Media上对此有何评论。甚至警方也发布了自己的(issued their own list of apps)父母应该警惕的应用程序清单。
6 Apps Every Parent Should Know About
As a parent, it’s yоur role to protect your childrеn. After all, they haνen’t been here all that long and don’t understand the potential threats this world presents.
So you bolt the doors, limit their junk food intake, and enforce a curfew. They’re safe and sound in their rooms, right? Wrong. If your children have unmonitored access to a smart device, there’s another looming threat — mobile apps.
There are mobile apps that pose as “children-friendly,” but are not. Here are seven you should be privy to.
Making it to the top of our list is HIP — and for a special reason. Children can use this app to hide inappropriate apps in plain sight. It works by disguising apps as something less sinister.
For example, a dating app that looks like nothing more than a music app. The name HIP is an acronym for Hide it Pro. However, it’ll appear as a HIP on your child’s device.
It’s available on the app store for free. Your child can set up a PIN to hide all sorts of files in a vault, including photos and messages.
So if you’re a parent who regularly checks your kid’s mobile activities, then there’s a chance they’re hoodwinking you with this app.
Also, there’s another similar app to be on the lookout for, called Poof.
Facebook is an outdated platform for younger groups. The alternative for them is Snapchat. In case you’re not familiar with Snapchat, it’s an app that allows you to share videos with friends. Doesn’t sound too bad does it? So what’s the red flag?
The content you publish on this platform is similar to Instagram Stories, which disappear after 24 hours. This means you can never really know what your children are up to on this app because there’s no way to go back and check.
Ensuring your children are safe and not doing anything they’re not supposed to on the app is challenging. So just to be on the safe side, it may be better to keep this app off your children’s gadgets.
All the kids love it, and even some adults use it. It’s the musical app people use to reenact their favorite dance moves from their favorite song or make a parody of a popular track.
It all sounds innocent enough until you read the reviews from parents on Common Sense Media. Some are concerned about the language their kids are exposed to while using the app, and rightfully so.
Not to mention, there’s also suggestive dance moves young eyes shouldn’t be watching (let alone doing). Did we mention adults are using it? Well, it deserves a second mention.
It’s worth noting that the app is taking a stand by deleting accounts for users under 13. However, some parents may still want to ban this app for their 16+ teens.
Be wary that users can fake their age, so if your child is under the limit, they can still create an account.
Anytime you have an app geared towards adolescents hiding their identity, parents should be worried. As you’d imagine, it’s an ideal place for cyberbullying.
This app enables you to create an account, hide your identity, and contact others anonymously. The app focuses on asking other users questions anonymously. Kids will be kids, so you can expect some of them to ask outlandish questions (some of which may be disrespectful or embarrassing).
Then there’s also the concern that the conversations aren’t always private. Some users ask each other for phone numbers and Kik usernames.
Speaking of which…
Teens may pass this off as just another messenger to communicate with their friends through. However, when you look closer, you’ll see some concerns about potentially harmful behavior.
Take, for example, the fact that you can exchange photos, sketches, gifs, and videos with anyone (even if they’re not your friend). So not only are your children potentially exposed to inappropriate content, but they also may be in contact with strangers posing as children.
Unfortunately, there are no parental controls, and your children can protect their account with a password. If you don’t know it, then you’re locked out of that portion of your child’s life.
If you’re not in the dating game, then Tinder may not be on your radar just yet. It’s an app that allows users to rate each other’s photos (already a toxic start).
Since you’re able to use GPS tracking, you can locate folks who are within a 10-mile radius of you. This is one of the reasons folks are using it for dating. And it helps match you with other potential “mates.”
The app does require users to be at least 18 years old, but it doesn’t verify age either. So it’s up to parents to ensure their children aren’t using it anyway.
Another similar app is Yubo, which is known as “Tinder for teens.” Like Tinder, it has a toxic nature, allowing users to accept or reject each other’s photos (by swiping left or right).
This is the bane of social media, where people unwittingly hurt one another’s feelings without remorse. No wonder teen depression is on the rise!
Protect Your Kids From Predators (Young & Old)
Being a parent in the digital age is tough. You have to worry about predatory behaviors from old perverts, as well as crude youngsters.
The best way to do this is to pay close attention to the apps your kids are using. Do more than look at the icon, review the app’s description, do a Google search, and see what other parents are saying about it on Common Sense Media. Even the police have issued their own list of apps parents should be wary of.
