Family Tech Blog

Tag: android

  • Do You Really Own Your Phone?

    Do You Really Own Your Phone?

    The ordeal with the exploding Galaxy Note 7 has brought about an interesting topic as of late. In case you’re a bit behind, I’ll remind you that early in 2016 some Samsung Galaxy Note 7s began to explode. The phone was recalled and many people began to return it for a replacement. Many, however, did not. In order to increase the number of returns Samsung started to roll out updates to the operating system that would eventually render the phone ineffective. The idea is that if phones wouldn’t charge all the way, or eventually at all, then users would have no choice but to turn the phone in and get something that wasn’t just screaming POTENTIAL LAWSUIT for Samsung. This is what started the conversation about who owns the phone we paid for and use every single day.

    The Phone is Yours, Sort Of…

    We pay good money for our smartphones. iPhones can cost up to eight hundred dollars when first released and the cost of a good Android phone is comparable to that. Since we pay so much it stands to reason that we should have complete control over what happens to and in our phone. The truth, though, is that we don’t. In fact, we sign away that right when we purchase, or now lease, our smart device. The terms and agreements page that we sign without reading spells out the fact that the physical device we just bought belongs to us but the software that makes it more than just plastic, glass, and metal, still belongs to the company that developed it.

    This is why Samsung can “brick” a phone with software updates in order to get people to bring them back. They can’t require you to physically bring your phone back because they want it back but they can make it so useless that you can’t stand to use the thing anymore. If it has any use anymore at all. Technically you are using software that belongs to someone else because they allow you to. That doesn’t stop with operating systems, it goes for the apps you download too.

    Here Come the App Police

    Twitter has been flexing their “terms and agreements muscles” recently as they try to crack down on bullying and abuse in their popular social media site and app. Some of their most recent changes include adding the ability to explain why you’ve blocked a user or hidden a post on your feed. With an even larger step, Twitter is using algorithm and moderators to recognise users of previously banned accounts and keep them from setting up a new account to continue their abuse. These steps and some more they’re not being as open about may seem controversial to some but they are definitely allowed under the terms you agreed to when you signed up to use their service.

    What Parents Should Know

    There are a couple of major ways that the ownership of our digital devices is an important topic for parents to understand. First of all you must know that the use of any software, be it an operating system, an app, or computer game, is considered a privilege given to you by the developer of that software. Even if you paid for the right to use it. Your kids need to understand that behavior contrary to what is acceptable in those apps or software can cause them to lose the ability to play or use the software anymore. Secondly, it’s important to update your device when an update becomes available. While it may seem like recent updates slow down your phone or cause other apps or software not to work properly, the developer created that update for important reasons. Security is a major reason that updates come as frequently as they do. Hackers or identity thieves are always working to find ways to sneak through security settings set up in your phone or computer. Updates by the developer allow them to keep up with the new ways those hooligans have discovered to breach your digital defenses.

    Be sure your kids and teens understand that the digital lives we live are a privilege. There are right ways to use our smartphone and wrong ways. When their account is banned in an app it happened for a reason. This means you should be having a conversation with them about what led to that action being taken by the developers of the app. Was it because of other users “flagging” him for his posts? Was there something she posted that she admits crossed the line and caused her account to be shut down. This DOES happen and should be taken very seriously. There are some online behaviors that are as illegal as anything you can do offline. One major example is the distribution of child pornography. This is a felony and punishable by years in prison and the remainder of your life labeled as a sex offender. Sexting, or sending a nude picture of yourself or someone else, if you are under eighteen years old is considered distribution of child pornography. The activities we are involved in online have very real consequences. We may own the device we use but we have agreed to use them in a certain way, and if we fail to meet those standards the privilege can, and will, be revoked.

     

  • Advertising on Snapchat Gets Creepy 

    Advertising on Snapchat Gets Creepy 

    Snapchat’s Always Been About Privacy

    The initial appeal of Snapchat was the disappearing images. The idea was that your conversations with friends stayed between you and them. It was a novel concept in a world where anyone who wants can comment on your post on Facebook or Retweet you on Twitter. SNAP inc., the company that now develops Snapchat even let the privacy theme stay in the way they allowed advertisers to use their site. Last fall a feature allowed business accounts to import their email and phone contacts to target current customers with advertising but that meant the companies were using information that already belonged to them.

    The new announcement about advertising  means that marketers can use data from a third party data collection agency to target their audience based on what they do outside of snapchat. You know the feeling when you follow a whim and lookup the entire collectors set of Star Trek The Next Generation on Amazon and then see the ads for Star Trek pages on facebook the next day? Well, now the same icky feeling is available on Snapchat.

    The silver lining here is that you can opt out of targeted advertising on your accounts page. Snapchat has yet to release an in-app announcement notifying users of the addition or the option to toggle it off though.

    Snapchat’s CEO Said Ad Targeting is Creepy

    “I got an ad this morning for something I was thinking about buying yesterday, and it’s really annoying” Spiegel declared. “We care about not being creepy. That’s something that’s really important to us.” – Snap CEO Evan Spiegel

    Snap is a Real Company Now

    In September of 2016, Snapchat changed their company name to SNAP Inc. This led to some changes in how they did business, including adding hardware (Spectacles) to their repertoire. It has also meant that some of their earning decisions have changed and this step to provide more accurate advertising to companies who use Snapchat for marketing is a perfect example of one of those decisions.

    SNAP isn’t a company that makes an app for High Schoolers anymore. According to the latest reports Snapchat brags 301 million monthly users and are projected to earn over $900 million in advertising in 2017. That’s right, it’s time to take snapchat seriously. The app was largely considered a young person’s trend for a while after it launched but it has quickly become a serious part of the Social Media landscape. In fact ages 18-30 are one of their fastest growing user demographics. When you take all of this into account you realize that this shift in the view of targeted marketing was just a matter of time.

    Marketing Ruins Everything

    Remember when email was simpler? You had one address and just used it to chat with family or to do business. Now you have to have your spam address, newsletter address, family address, signup address, business address, and the email you never check anymore. This all happened because marketers ruin everything.

    Facebook was all about social connection, now you can’t scroll through three posts without a sponsored ad beckoning to you to buy some monthly box of uselessness. Marketers ruined Facebook too. Don’t get me started on YouTube. Sitting through a lame movie trailer before you can watch the cool movie trailer you clicked through to see…it’s all too much.

    It looks like Snapchat is next in line. The inclusion of ad targeting by Snap will allow everything, even some of your offline behavior, to influence the advertising you will see on your Snapchat story.

    What Parents Should Know

    Snapchat makes a lot of appearances on this site because it’s one of the most relevant social media apps out there. I recommend understanding the app and how it works if you’re the parent of a teenager. If they don’t use the app then they want to and you will need to be knowledgeable about it before you make the decision whether or not to let them start Snapping. While sexting is always a concern on any messaging app, the marketing announcement today confirms what I have been saying since this fall. Advertisers want to notify your teenager when they have a new message for them and Snapchat just made it even easier for them. 

  • The Past and Future Combine with PBS Kids’ New 24hr Kids Channel

    The Past and Future Combine with PBS Kids’ New 24hr Kids Channel

    Our Young Kids are Learning from Screens

    The number of children who are viewing educational entertainment broadcasted to their home television grew by two percent over the past year. Most of those families are in lower income homes. PBS has always catered to that demographic with their free television content and now they’re extending that privilege to children. Starting today, January 16 2016, PBSKids will have it’s own 24/7 channel.

    Yes, Daniel Tiger, Peg + Cat, and Sesame Street will all be aired on a single PBS channel dedicated to children’s programming. The best part is that it isn’t just a channel, the content will be streaming on the PBSKids app that you probably already have. The online streaming content will also be free.

    PBS has said that they understand the need for educational television for those who can’t afford cable or satellite TV, while they also understand that the majority of children are watching their shows on smaller screens these days. The free broadcast/streaming content is unprecedented in a world where everyone is trying to convince you to pay this or that for their content. PBS is sticking to their model of educational entertainment for all. 

    The plan is to roll out the channel on 73 stations across the United States first and have 107 of the US PBS stations carrying the channel later this year. This will mean that free 24 hour children’s education content will be available to ninety percent of the homes in the united states. The streaming content on their app will increase the audience even further.

    Finally the plans include a Family Movie Night and integrating games into the show content. Characters will prompt the young viewers to further their educational experience by taking part in games and activities on the app that will correlate with what they are viewing. PBS says that research on children’s education has inspired this feature and that the feature will increase the opportunity to learn while consuming their content.

    What Parents Should Know.

    If you don’t already have the PBS App I recommend it for your younger children. The shows on the app are safe and educational and there are no ads or anything that would cause them to click away from the app. The games on the app are clean, safe, and fun. Learning is obviously the first focus of every show and game and short of a few annoying characters, you’ll feel totally glad your kids are getting their entertainment from the PBS App.

  • Your Device May Not Have Parental Controls 

    Your Device May Not Have Parental Controls 

    Setup is Key

    In every Digital Boundaries Workshop I do I encourage parents to set up the built in parental controls on their devices. I’ve now been in several homes to do these setups for them and I’ve noticed a troubling trend. Many of the devices kids are using don’t have any parental controls built into them. That’s right, you should check out your phone and check the operating system because on many of them there is no way to setup filters or monitors of any kind.

    Android before Jellybean

    Android phones have no family safety settings before version 4.2. If your Android phone or tablet is running something older than 4.2 (Jellybean) then you have to install a third party software like Parental Control or NetNanny.

    Windows Before 8

    Many Windows users delay the upgrades of their PC for one reason or another. If your PC is running something older than Windows 8 you won’t have a built in parental control option and you’ll need to run separate software. My recommendation is K9 or NetNanny. K9 is free and a pretty good filter with some customization options but it’s not the absolute strongest filter and doesn’t have a lot of support. Also, the “backend” controls on it can be a little out of date and tough to understand. NetNanny is a “whole page scanning” filter that protects you from a proxy and has some easy to understand controls. You can use THIS LINK to sign up for NetNanny and help BecauseFamily out with a little kick back.

    iPhones and iPads Should be Good

    Apple introduced parental controls on the mobile device when they launched iOS3. Almost every iPhone or iPad will have parental controls built in but if they don’t NetNanny is a good option for those too.

    Update Your Software or Upgrade Your Device. 

    Your best option is to keep your technology updated. If you’re running a PC and it meets the requirements you should upgrade to the latest operating system. The parental controls alone are worth the time it takes to learn some of the nuance of the new user interface. If your devices are too old to upgrade and you don’t know how or want to install new software you need to sell that device on eBay (probably for parts) and upgrade to something new. 

    Parental Controls is Step One

    Using parental control software to protect your children is step one of internet safety. I highly recommend finding out what’s available for your operating system and setting that up. If you need to install something else then don’t be afraid to invest in a software that will protect your kids at the level you need. Obviously you’re going to have different needs if your kids are young and you want to keep them from finding something on accident than if you have a child who has been sneaking around online. Know what it is you need, know what your technology offers, and then act by setting something up or installing something new.

     

  • What Parents Need to Know About Super Mario Run

    What Parents Need to Know About Super Mario Run

    Guest post by John Wilkerson of The Wired Homeschool.

    Super Mario Run, announced earlier this year, is the first highly anticipated mobile game from Nintendo. Initially released for iOS devices, it is expected to be released for Android early next year, parents can expect to hear about the chart-topping app for months to come.

    On its first day, Super Mario Run was downloaded 2.85 million times according to Apptopia which broke the previous record of 900,000 downloads held by PokÈmon Go. That means if your child hasn’t already installed the game, they’ll want to soon.

    About the Game
    Super Mario Run is a single player, side-scrolling, endless running game where players guide the eponymous Mario through several worlds to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. Along the way players collect coins while trying to avoid Bowser’s minions and falling off the screen. If you’re a fan of Super Mario Brothers this sounds familiar to you.

    Nintendo has done a good job of making this game unique. It’s not just a simplified version of a very popular game from the 80’s. It has unique game-play elements that will entertain you and your kids.

    The game has a mini-games within it which can be unlocked by earning tickets. You earn tickets by collecting all the pink, purple, and black coins on each level. You can also recruit Toads into your kingdom to restore it to its former glory.

    Initial and On-going Costs
    The first 3 levels of Super Mario Run are free. To unlock the remaining episodes you’ll need to spend $9.99. While this seems like a lot for a casual game, keep in mind that there are no in-game micro-transactions. No need to worry about Johnny or Sally running up your bill.

    Additional Features
    In addition to earning bonuses in the game, bonuses are given for connecting your Nintendo account. If you or your child don’t already have an account, you can create one in your device’s browser.

    Players can also connect with friends by sharing their player ID, linking to social media accounts, email, text, or adding someone’s player ID manually. Once you’re friends with another player you can challenge them in Rally Mode.

    Final Thoughts
    Super Mario Run is a fun game that you and your kids will want to play. It’s challenging and the nostalgia factor for adults is certainly what’s driving its popularity.

    As with any game, parents need to be aware of a few things:

    1. If you link to or create a Nintendo account you should be aware of the privacy policy.
    2. Linking to social media accounts brings with an additional set of privacy issues.
    3. While initially free, the $9.99 price might seem high but there are no micro-transactions.
    4. There is the potential that your child will spend too much time playing it.

    About the Author: John Wilkerson is a homeschooling dad of 7 living in upstate New York. Through his podcast and blog, The Wired Homeschool, John has been providing practical advice to parents on using technology in homeschooling for over 6 years. Connect with John on Twitter: @jwilkers.

  • Snapchat Answers the Photo Messaging Challenge with New Features

    Snapchat Answers the Photo Messaging Challenge with New Features

    The battle for the best messenger and photo messenger app continues and this time Snapchat has launched a counter assault. Excuse my military history illustration, I know I’m a nerd. While Facebook has been building up the features list on their popular messenger app, their photo app Instagram, and their texting app, WhatsApp, Snapchat has been working on some updates of their own.

    Let’s take a look at what today’s update has and what it will allow your kids/teens to do while in the app. Then we’ll chat about what parent’s response to this app should be after the latest update is installed. It’s super important to stay in the know, even if some of the updates may not be potentially dangerous. Here’s our breakdown:

    Snapchat’s New Features

    Paintbrush and Scissors

    These artistic new tools will allow you to do more customization than ever before. Paintbrush is a bit novelty and is just a way to make your photos look different but scissors is actually a pretty cool idea. This feature allows you to take “cut out” portions of a post or photo and save them to use later as a “sticker.” This feature gives you be the ability to become your own emoji. I am kind of looking forward to one of the apps I actually use copying the Scissors feature. It’s pretty awesome.

    Shazam

    You, most likely, are familiar with Shazam. It’s an app that allow you to identify whatever song you’re listening to by allowing the app to “listen” to it and then give you the details. This update allows you to use Shazam right in Snapchat. You just open the camera, hold your finger down, and the option to find the song will come up. Once the song is identified you’ll be asked if you’d like to purchase the song. Shazam has been around for a long time, this integration is a pretty unique idea and will keep users from closing one app to use another one.

    Group Chat

    Group Chat is self explanatory. You can chat with up to 16 people at a time and set up your chats in groups. This allows users to keep their most common friends together in one group so they can have quick access to their conversations. Your teenagers are socializing online now so this allows them to do so in a larger group.

    Every feature included in this update is another step towards Snapchat becoming the catch all app for young people. The most common users are ages 18-35 but there are many high schoolers who have already been snapping their friends for years. If they haven’t already, these updates are sure to lure them in.

    What Should Parents Know?

    As I’ve mentioned before. My main concern with Snapchat isn’t the messaging or photos, it’s the advertising. Their curated “discover” page has been and always will be a deal breaker for me. I know you may not agree so regardless of your reasons for being safe here are my tips for parents of Snapchat users.

    Don’t allow Snapchat if you’re uncomfortable.

    It’s important to remember that you have to have a say over what your kids are doing online. If what Snapchat does makes you feel uncomfortable you shouldn’t allow it on your child’s phone. Whether you’re afraid of what people may send them or what they could see on a public story. Maybe you’re just concerned about people they don’t know getting ahold of pictures of them. You also could simply be trying to keep the marketing gurus who are publishing content straight to your child’s phone from turning them into the consumer they want them to be. No matter your reason, be true to that instinct and hold firm to your position. Your teen won’t understand and will argue but you have to trust yourself on these issues.

    Use family sharing to know when apps are installed.

    I walked through family sharing and how to set it up in THIS tutorial. This is a great way to keep track of what apps are being installed on everyone’s devices. You can even set it up to ask you permission before something is installed. If you have decided to take a stand against your teen joining the Snapchat trend Family Sharing is a great way to be sure they’re sticking to those rules.

    Follow your kids’ “Story”.

    If your teen is using or wants to use Snapchat and you’re ok with it I recommend you get an account as well, even if it’s only to keep tabs on their “Story” yourself. This isn’t spying since you will communicate with them that you’re following them. Let them know it’s not that you don’t trust them, it’s that you have a responsibility to protect them from those who won’t use the social media service in the safest way.

    Talk to your kids about how they use Snapchat.

    Now comes the inevitable plea to be transparent with your children. Be open with them and honest about your concerns with Snapchat. Let them know you want to protect them from whatever it is you’re concerned about. Boundaries become stupid rules if there is no relationship. If you’re going to be following the on their account they need to know about it and know why. If you’ve decided not to allow it at all then you’ll have to be honest about why. Let them talk to you about why they want to use it. “Because it’s how my friends talk to each-other is a legitimate concern for a teenager. Social connection is the most important thing during that time of their lives. That shouldn’t cause you to back down from your rules but instead help you show empathy and compassion while you are patient enough to give them time to adjust to the rule.

    These new updates are being discussed in the tech world as another big “shot across the bow” to Facebook and Twitter and other social media giants. You can expect more and more features to roll out on all of these services. Also expect to be asked by your child if they can start an account and be ready ahead of time with your answer.

  • Apparently Pokemon Go Had Little Real Effect on Exercise

    Apparently Pokemon Go Had Little Real Effect on Exercise

    Many (including me) have said that one of the great things about Pokemon GO is that it has gotten people out and moving more than they ever did. Unfortunately a recent study by the British Medical Journal is singing a different tune. Apparently about four weeks after the release of the app people went back to their couch potato ways, only playing the game when they would have been out moving anyway.

    The study surveyed over 1100 American adults, half of them were Pokemon GO players. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the number of steps taken (automatically tracked by the phone) before and after the release of the game. There were some folks who started off walking a bit more because of the game, but the study shows that the trend tapered off to almost nothing after about six weeks.

    What Parents Should Do.

    An interesting note about this study. It didn’t include children. It is, of course, possible that kids were more active for longer because of playing Pokemon GO. There is no study to confirm it, however.

    One of the major reasons that limiting screen time is a good idea is the inactivity overuse of technology can cause. When a game like Pokemon GO is released, parents may see a way out. They can give in and let their children play this game more often because it’s getting them up and moving. Well, if the study of the adults who played the game is any indication, we won’t be seeing many kids becoming more active and less out of shape because they’re trying to catch them all. Nothing beats old fashion creativity and time outside with friends.

    If you have seen Pokemon GO players walking around you can see what all they’re missing. What good is getting up and around if you’re still just staring at your phone the whole time. Yes, parents and kids have been playing this game together and the connection of handing down the love of Pokemon to your children is a real thing. We just have to be careful when we use technology to replace something that was always meant to keep us and our children grounded in the real world.



  • You May Be Shocked by the Top Grossing Mobile Games of 2016

    You May Be Shocked by the Top Grossing Mobile Games of 2016

    The way game developers make their money has changed quite a bit over the past several years. There was a day when you would just purchase a video game and then play the whole thing until you either got tired of it, beat it, or wore it out. Nowadays we have access to so many mobile games on our phones and tablets that don’t ask for any money up front. Somehow, though, these “Freemium” games end up being the ones that make the most money every year. How is that?

    If you have spent any time playing these games you have experienced it yourself. You download a game that looks awesome in the commercial and in the app store. You get started and enjoy the gameplay right away. Soon, however, you seem to stall out a bit, or you’re playing in an open world with other real people and they all seem to be way ahead of you and are destroying your village or blowing you away on the scoreboard. What’s a gamer to do? Never fear, the premium game designers built in a way for you to get a boost to your game score or a new way to skip the long wait to let your in-game work get done so you can collect your reward. All you have to do is spend a few bucks here and there and you can play the game non-stop without any delay. This is how Freemium games make their way to the top of the money makers list. Here’s a screenshot of Statista’s top ten of 2016 list.

    Every game in that top ten list is free to download. Note that the amounts listed are daily revenue. These are dollars made from people who have decided to spend little bits of money here and there to help themselves play these games a little faster or a little better. The top game, Clash Royale, is one where you battle against friends with an army you have built. You have to use gems to build your army so you must either spend money to build your army faster or play a lot and wait for your “chests” to open and give you new soldiers (in the form of cards). Pokemon Go comes in at number two. This one will allow you to keep trying to “catch ’em all” by buying new Pokeballs when you’ve run out. Finally, numbers three and four are Game of War – Fire Age and Mobile Strike. These two games are often advertised on television and have received much criticism about the gameplay in their product being a lot different what they’ve portrayed it to be. For some, the promise of better gameplay causes them to spend money in hopes to gain more levels faster. It’s a new way to do mobile games and has even trickled into the console and computer game markets.

    It’s called DLC and stands for Downloadable Content. This is new features and game content that gamers can spend more money on to enhance gameplay or keep the story of the game going. Obviously, the success of the in-app purchases in mobile games has inspired other game developers to use this model to increase the profitability of their product. The largest difference is that you still have to purchase for the initial version of most console and computer games. As you see below on the screenshot from ThinkGaming.com, the first pay up front mobile game on the top grossing list is Minecraft Pocket Edition at number 35.

    What Parents Should Know.

    Obviously you should know that nothing is truly free. Our kids should understand that too. As I explored in more depth in our Mobile Device Vocabulary Series, there have been instances of parents finding out their kids have made very large in-app purchases without permission. There are ways to protect your accounts from money being spent unintentionally. Make sure your app store account asks for a password every time you make a purchase. If you have Apple products, set up your icloud accounts with family share so you can see what apps your kids have and make them ask permission to download anything new. Also, be sure to discuss with your children that sometimes their favorite games ask for real money. Teach them that they should ask you before agreeing to buy anything “in-game.” You don’t want a surprize charge on your credit card. While iTunes and GooglePlay have pretty good track records of refunding purchases, it’s a hassle I’m sure you’d like to avoid.

     

  • Three Things from This Week!

    Three Things from This Week!

     

    It’s been a slow Family Tech News week but here are a few tidbits that you should know were making headlines.

    1. Fake News

    Fake News on social media is finally getting labeled for what it is. It’s dangerous and stupid. Our kids buy into these things as easily as anyone so we should be glad that something is being done. We, as parents, also have to be careful not to just post anything that comes across our social media timelines. These messages are spread by those of us who don’t check our sources and just share things because what’s written agrees with our opinion. Nothing is more important than truth. If our children are going to be using social media, and they are, we need to do what we can to keep it the kind of place that can be as safe as possible.

    I have shared about UGC (User Generated Content) before and how it is hard to control. The only thing you can control is what you post on your feeds and what social media you allow you children to be involved in. Let’s share responsibly.

    2. Data Storing Toys

    Did you see that movie where the toys your kids play with are listening to them and saving the information they share in some big company’s database? Remember the part where the toy asks the children questions and uses the answers to store data about the child and their likes and dislikes? That was crazy, how they used it to market to the kids and even let the police and government use the voice data to develop voice recognition software. Man, that was a scary movie. Except it wasn’t a movie, it was what happened in THE ACTUAL NEWS THIS WEEK!

    Parents have to pay close attention to the toys our kids are playing with. Being more connected isn’t always good. Be careful to protect your kids by paying close attention to terms and agreements about what companies do with the information you and your kids put on apps, software, and toys that they use. You can’t be too careful when your family’s personal information and privacy is at stake.

    3. Facebook Messenger Games

    Here’s a fun one. You can now play games (Even some old school classics) within Facebook Messenger. Facebook is trying to get you to spend more and more time using their service so they can spend more and more time putting ads in front of your face. Right now these games are free and fun but there will soon be ads and most likely in-game purchases available too. Be aware that the more time your children spend online with other people the more time they have to be influenced by those people as well as whatever advertisers pay to put their content in front of your child’s face.

    Weekly Recap

    Here’s my advice. Hold your family close this weekend. Put away the tech toys, and the news, and the games and just enjoy being together. We can get so carried away with the next big thing or what’s happening in the news and all over our huge world that we forget what’s happening in our little world at home. Spend some time in that world this weekend. That’s what I’ll be doing. Have a good weekend, see you Monday.

     

  • Musical.ly Defends Appealing to Underage Users

    Musical.ly Defends Appealing to Underage Users

    We have already said Why We Don’t Like Musical.ly. The app is in the news again. The CEO of musically has defended their handling of young persons who use their app. More than 1 million videos are updated every day. They have over 40 million users and many of them are under the age of 13. Musically doesn’t ask, upon signup, if you are 13 years old or older.

    We would collect ages but those kids would just say they are 13 so it doesn’t change the conversation. – Zuh (Musically CEO)

    The company says that it is up to parents to be sure their child is old enough to use their service. Their goal is to make the “environment safe” meaning that their focus is to protect content and profiles within the app. They maintain that many parents encourage use in the app and some are even involved in the videos posted by their children. However, the CEO of the company admits that they have “no way to know for sure” if children are using the service in the safest way possible. 

    What a Parent Should Know

    Nobody is going to look out for the safety and security of your kids except for you. You have a responsibility to pay attention to the privacy settings and functions of an app, game, or toy and decide if it lines up with the vision of your family. If they you are ok with them doing everything the app allows them to do then no problem. If you are throwing your hands up because you just don’t know what it does, you’re putting your children at risk.