Snapchat

Age Rating:  16+

Allows you to capture an image or video and make it available to a recipient for a specific time. After that time limit is up, the picture/video automatically disappears forever…or so Snapchat claims. (Similar apps: Poke, Wire, and Wickr)

Why It’s Dangerous – Kids can receive (or send ) sexually inappropriate photos. This app also makes kids feel like they can “sext” or send inappropriate pictures without consequences because the image will self-destruct automatically. The truth is that nothing sent over the internet disappears. There are always ways to retrieve and capture those images.

Conversation Starter – Why do you want to send pictures that disappear? Would you be okay with anyone seeing that pic?

ALERT!  

Snapchat has a feature called Snap Map which lets you share your current location with other Snapchatters, as well as see their current locations. It may sound like an interesting new feature, but sharing your exact location with all of your Snapchat followers is dangerous, to say the least. Luckily, it's easy to turn this feature off by turning ON "Ghost Mode." 

However, if you've given Snap Map access to your location, just opening the Snapchat app will allow your exact spot on the map to appear. If you use Snapchat frequently, this is a great way for your Snapchat followers with stalker tendencies to follow you around in the real world - right up to your front door!

Think about how this affects children that Snapchat and don't know any better...

Do you want random strangers knowing where your kids are at all times?