{"id":37462,"date":"2014-08-21T10:01:45","date_gmt":"2014-08-21T17:01:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=37462"},"modified":"2025-08-27T09:20:34","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T16:20:34","slug":"mobile-messaging-kids-aware-parents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/family-safety\/mobile-messaging-kids-aware-parents\/","title":{"rendered":"Mobile Messaging And Kids: How Aware Are Parents?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Messaging apps are the in thing today. Right from a collegian to the 40-something mother of two; from the local electrician trying to increase client base to the highly popular movie actor; everyone is part of some or the other \u2018chat group\u2019. Naturally then can children be far behind? They are the first infact to discover and explore new apps.<\/p>\n

Now the thing with children is that they mainly want to connect, share and fraternize with peer groups. But sometimes, their curiosity can lead them astray. Children also assume what they share online anonymously remains secret and if they post anonymously; their identity will not be discovered. In addition, many have absolutely no idea how fast content can go viral online and what repercussions an innocent statement or pic can have. They only experiment and explore – they do not have long term vision.<\/p>\n

But parents have. They also have the understanding born of age and experience. So they are the best people to guide children online and ensure they use these apps safely.<\/p>\n

Popular Messaging Apps<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s take a quick peek at some of the most popular messaging apps today.<\/p>\n

WhatsApp <\/strong>is currently the undisputed global leader in messaging, exceeding a user count of 350 million<\/a> by 2013-end, of which nearly 30 million<\/a> are from India!<\/p>\n

Line<\/strong> has also recorded a user base that exceeded 30 million globally by 2013-end. Line has one main advantage over WhatsApp, and that\u2019s the ability to play games and do video chats.<\/p>\n

Viber<\/strong> has over 200 million global users, with Indian users expected to reach nearly 30 million by 2014-end. Its USP is that it offers features like \u2018Push to Talk\u2019 and message forwarding to any group or contact,\u00a0new conversation backgrounds and group conversations with upto\u00a0100 participants!<\/p>\n

WeChat<\/strong> also allows users to make voice\/video calls, besides the usual group chat. Its USP is its \u2018discovery feature\u2019 that enables users to discover and connect with new people.<\/p>\n

Hike<\/strong> is a free Indian messaging app that was introduced in 201 but had not picked up much speed. However, now we note a spurt in ads on Hike which specifically target young users. The count of users is also on the rise.<\/p>\n

Besides this, there are BBM<\/strong> (Which Blackberry is now offering on Android phones too), Apple\u2019s Facetime, Facebook messenger<\/strong>, Google chat<\/strong> & Yahoo messenger.<\/p>\n

There are also some messaging apps that are not so well known among the older crowd, but very popular with the younger users. These include Kik, SnapChat, Ask.fm, Yik Yak, Whisper, Tumblr<\/strong> and Vine <\/strong>among others. Parents are mostly in the dark about these and assume that they are similar to WhatsApp which they themselves use and so safe. But user policies differ and it is in your interest to know details about them – For your kids.<\/p>\n

Now what should you be aware of as a parent?<\/strong><\/p>\n