A growing number of anonymous social media apps allow users to share secrets, gossip and other random thoughts without using their real names. They’re different from private messaging apps, which require a username and email address.
While they can be helpful for venting, they’re also a potential cyberbullying tool, and they lack basic protections. So parents should be aware of their kids’ use and understand how to respond accordingly.
Kik
Kik is a messaging app that offers users a super-private presence by requiring only a username instead of a phone number. It allows you to exchange messages, photos, videos, stickers, mobile webpages, and emoji with your friends.
You can add bots to your chats and customize the notifications you receive. You can also change the way your chats are displayed with personalized themes and audio settings.
To find a new Kik friend, you can scan their code, which is a QR-like image, or invite them by using Facebook or allowing them to access your phone book. Once you’re connected, you can send them messages and check their status via S, D, and R.
Kik has a wide user base, with teenagers and young adults in America and Europe. Despite its popularity, it has a bad reputation for being used by online predators.
Sarahah
Sarahah is a Popular anonymous apps that’s recently hit the top of the App Store in more than 30 countries. Originally created by a Saudi Arabian programmer, it aims to allow people to receive anonymous constructive feedback.
However, it’s also being abused by bullies to spread online hate. It’s also been linked to suicide, and concerns among parents are that it could pose a serious threat to young users.
As with any anonymous social media app, adults need to talk to youth about the risks of using it. They should also discuss why they feel a need to use these apps and what to do if they see bullying or abuse.
A teenager in North Wales has had his account banned after he was called “bald” and “ugly” by people on the app. His mum, Hayley Pritchard, is calling for parents to not let their kids use Sarahah. She says the app is a danger to teenagers and should be banned.
Whisper
Whisper is a popular anonymous social media app that has been around since 2012. It is a great platform for people to share their thoughts, stories and connect with other people.
It has a wide audience and is growing rapidly, particularly among teens. Users can share photos and videos with short captions, chat in groups or privately.
But Whisper isn’t without its flaws and has a history of privacy problems. In 2020, The Washington Post reported a large-scale data leak that gave third parties access to location and other information tied to anonymous “whispers” on the app.
The app isn’t for children and can be a gateway to predators. Recently, a 14-year-old Whisper user told detectives that a man she met on the site had tried to arrange a sexual encounter with her.
NGL
NGL, or Not Gonna Lie, is an anonymous social media app that allows users to ask and receive questions without revealing their real names. The app aims to be a safe place for young people to express their feelings and opinions.
NGL has become popular in recent months, but many users are worried about its safety and its potential misuse. Despite the app’s efforts to filter out content, reports from credible sources have indicated that many slurs and bullying terms still managed to slip through.
According to NBC News, NGL’s moderation AI isn’t working as well as it should and has allowed numerous harmful messages to pass through its filters.
Unlike other anonymous messaging apps, NGL doesn’t rely on community members to flag problem posts. Instead, it relies on a combination of artificial intelligence content control and algorithms to filter out harmful messages.
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Meetme
Meetme is an anonymous social media app where members can find friends, make new ones and chat with strangers. It offers a free subscription, but users can unlock features with credits.
There are some problems with Meetme, however, including the high number of fake profiles and predatory behavior. It connects people based on proximity, which means the risk of meeting a troll is very real.
It’s also easy to sign up for a free account, with most users providing just their name, email address, gender, date of birth and phone number. This makes it a remarkably easy target for scammers.
The site has a credit system and rewards members who post photos, rate profiles and send messages to other members. This can be a good way for teens to earn money. They can then use that to boost their profiles and gain popularity.
Tellonym
Tellonym is one of the most popular anonymous social media apps, especially among teens. Founded in Germany a few years ago, it promises to be “the most honest place on the internet” and allows people to leave anonymous comments or questions for their friends.
But it’s been linked to a number of reports of bullying, and schools have warned parents that the app can fuel cyberbullying. It does not require a name, but it is easy for anyone to sign up and pose as a bully in order to send messages.
The app has attempted to limit abusive language by offering a word filter, but it’s easy to transpose letters or intentionally misspell words in an attempt to beat the filter. As a result, users have reported being harassed repeatedly, told they are ugly, and that they should kill themselves.
Ceecrets
For the discerning social media user, there is no shortage of anonymous app alternatives. From the aforementioned Yik Yak to more mature offerings like Anomo, these apps allow you to stay nameless and anonymous while still enjoying some of the same fun social features that other popular platforms have to offer.
In an age when every new social network is vying for your attention, it can be overwhelming to try and wade through the swarm of options. The best anonymous social networking sites are designed to give you full control over the content you share with friends and foes alike. The best of the rest are those that go above and beyond to offer you a slew of useful tools for finding people you might want to talk to or make friends with. The following apps were some of the most useful we found: rounded up in our top 5 list. Have a look and tell us in the comments what your favorites are!