As a parent, it may feel overwhelming to keep tabs on all the apps your child may be using. It can be even harder to decide which ones are actually safe to give them access to. But there are some apps that should definitely be on every parent's block list for the simple fact that they were made for adults — not kids.
Of course, these also happen to be some of the most popular apps on the App Store and the ones kids like to flock to the most. But to make things easy, we put together a short laundry list of adult apps that kids definitely should not be using.
Kik
In our recent Bark 2024 annual report, Kik was noted several times as one of the most dangerous for children. It’s notorious for severe issues like explicit sexual content, hate speech, and intense bullying. Kik is a messaging platform that allows users to chat one-on-one or in large group chats filled with strangers. The app has very little content moderation and kids can find inappropriate content within minutes of using the app.
X (formerly Twitter)
X was also found in our annual report to be a frequent source of serious dangers, including sexual content, suicidal ideation, body image concerns, hate speech, and violence. Although X is sometimes known as a platform for discussions and trends, it also openly allows pornography and other adult content that kids do not need access to.
Bumble
Dating apps aren’t just used by adults anymore — teens often turn to platforms like Bumble to connect with strangers. While Bumble is marketed for adults looking for relationships, teens have been known to fudge their ages and use it to chat and engage with people they don’t know. Other similar dating apps like Tinder, Grindr, and Hinge are also popular in the App Store, but none of these are for children, either.
Wizz
Wizz calls itself a “friend-finding app,” but in reality, it’s just another dating app. Similar to other social platforms, it lets users swipe through profiles to start chatting with strangers. With minimal safeguards and a focus on connecting users based on location, Wizz poses significant privacy and safety risks for kids.
Yubo
Yubo is a live-streaming app that allows users to chat and play games with others. However, its lack of content moderation and poor age-verification systems make it especially unsafe for kids. It’s common for users to encounter inappropriate content, predators, and other dangers on Yubo.
Telegram
Telegram is another messaging app where users can chat privately or join public groups — sometimes with thousands of strangers. Telegram’s major red flag is that it allows messages to disappear after being read, which makes it harder for parents to monitor what’s happening. On top of this, Telegram allows you to join communities that are specific to your location, putting kids at an even greater risk.
How Bark Can Help
Whether you need to block dangerous apps, monitor texts, or manage healthy screen time, Bark can help make parenting in the digital age simpler. Bark offers a variety of products that help parents protect their kids online, including the Bark Phone, the Bark Watch, the Bark app, and the Bark Home. Check out our products page to find out which one is the best fit for your family.
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Bark helps families manage and protect their children’s digital lives.
