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Published on 2024-07-16
Social networks are reaching younger users earlier, bringing a series of risks for them in services like TikTok, Discord, Locket, or Kik Messenger, which offer access to virtually any type of content, necessitating regular attention and supervision from parents.
With an increasingly digitized society, the habits of minors are largely based on the use of internet-connected devices and applications that keep them connected. Spain is the country where minors use screens the most, averaging 59 minutes a day, according to a study by the online security application Qustodio.
This report also notes that the current favorite application among young Spaniards is TikTok, with an average of over an hour and a half spent daily on the social network. Young people also frequently use Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) to navigate the internet and stay in touch with friends.
These habits are accentuated in the summer, a time when screen time increases and opens new doors for malicious actors to exploit the ignorance of children and adolescents, as noted by Panda Security.
Although there are various parental control options to limit the use of applications and social networks to prevent minors from becoming victims of malicious campaigns or viewing inappropriate content online, young users continue to use some services that allow virtually unrestricted internet browsing.
This is the case with platforms and social networks like Kik Messenger, Snapchat, Discord, Locket, and Gas, as highlighted by the cybersecurity company, which also reminds us that new applications emerge daily. Although not expressly created for this purpose, they allow minors free access to all kinds of internet content, whether violent, sexual, racist, or promoting harassment.
APPS TO SUPERVISE
Children and minors use these platforms to hide part of their web browsing from adults, such as parents or guardians, who should supervise the mentioned applications to control their use and ensure the safety of the youngest.
Kik Messenger, for instance, is dedicated to instant messaging services, similar to WhatsApp, and is free. Its features include sending text, sharing messages, photos, voice messages, and other content with other users.
This app, gaining popularity among teenagers, allows users to chat with strangers without even sharing their phone numbers. It also allows the transfer of content through photos and videos, two scenarios that endanger young people's safety.
Another app to supervise is Snapchat, currently the second most used app by young Spaniards for communication, with an average daily use of 27 minutes.
Known for sharing instant photos, it has risky options like messages that disappear after a while. This type of communication "makes monitoring extremely difficult" and can be used to share content not recommended for minors without the possibility of tracking it.
The 'Snap Map' feature, which allows users to share their location in real-time, should also be considered. This can provide personal and precise information about the family home or school location to any user added as a friend.
Similarly, the gamer platform Discord, occupying an average of 17 minutes daily in young Spaniards' lives, needs regular review due to dangerous options for keeping personal information protected.
It allows chatting via text, voice, and video through private servers, giving users more freedom to send and share all kinds of content and more possibilities to contact anyone accessing the server. As noted by Panda Security, its use beyond the gamer environment "is allowing the creation of communities and inappropriate content."
Cybersecurity experts also mentioned TikTok, the favorite social network among the youngest. A recent Qustodio report found that nearly one in four children aged 7 to 9 in Spain has this app.
Although this app includes parental control options, such as users between 13 and 15 years old not being able to send or receive direct messages from unknown users, teenagers can receive and send videos of all kinds, including those that may not be recommended or show harmful content.
Finally, Panda Security also mentioned platforms Locket and Gas, which should also be regularly reviewed as they rely on anonymity and are becoming increasingly popular.
Locket is a widget application designed for iPhone that allows any photo to be sent directly to friends' home screens. Gas, on the other hand, is an anonymous social network that enables sending anonymous compliments to others. As defined by Panda Security experts, "both are the perfect breeding ground for cyberbullying."
In summary, it's advisable to review all the mentioned services due to the various risks they present, at least with a brief inspection to ensure they are being used correctly and that minors using them are not at risk of a cyberattack or other scenarios compromising their safety.
"The lack of visibility into the true capabilities of these applications makes it difficult for parents to adequately protect their children," concluded Hervé Lambert, Global Consumer Operations Manager at Panda Security, emphasizing the importance of "seriously considering the use of advanced parental control tools."
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