It’s a fact of 21st century life that kids are connected to each other 24-7.  While many professionals and parents feel like digital immigrants in their kids’ native cyberlands, any lack of technological savvy on their parts is usually made up for by the social and moral savvy that comes with age and life experience.

While adults have good reasons to believe that they’ll never be quite as knowledgeable as kids about social media, it’s essential that we do our best to keep up on the options available to young people and offer them our guidance and wisdom (in place of our lectures and thou shalt nots) on how to use technology safely, respectfully, and with dignity.

The following links, offered to help parents and professionals keep up with 17 of the most popular apps of this season, are based on my training, Practical Strategies for Keeping Kids Safe Online.

Anonymous apps:

 

About Sarahah: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sarahah-the-anonymous_us_599b51eee4b0ac90f2cba943

About Burnbook: https://mashable.com/2015/03/26/burnbook-app/#PQ78FHUKkiqF

About Whisper: https://www.teensafe.com/blog/everything-a-parent-needs-to-know-about-whisper/

About Ask.fm: https://www.teensafe.com/blog/everything-a-parent-needs-to-know-about-ask-fm/

About TBH: http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/09/what-is-tbh-app.html

 

Disappearing Media Apps:

 

About Snapchat: https://www.imore.com/snapchat-everything-you-need-know

About Instagram stories: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-use-instagram-stories/

About Music.ly: https://www.webwise.ie/parents/explained-musical-ly/

About Live.ly: https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/guidance/live-ly-app-parents-need-know/

About Periscope: https://smallbiztrends.com/2015/08/what-is-periscope-how-do-i-use-it.html

 

Teen Dating Sites:

 

About Down: https://www.downapp.com/faq

About Tinder: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/antonio-borrello-phd/the-shocking-truth-about-_7_b_8011462.html

About Hotornot: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2014/06/17/the-new-hot-or-not-like-tinder-but-just-for-fun/#1a18454f3814

About Blendr: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/sep/12/blendr-straight-dating-app-grindr

 

Other:

 

About Omegle: https://www.qustodio.com/en/blog/2014/05/omegle-app-encourages-chats-with-strangers/

About Kikhttps://www.lifewire.com/what-is-kik-an-intro-to-the-free-texting-app-3486317

About Vero: https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/2/17067610/vero-social-media-ayman-hariri-downloads

 

For more information on what professionals and parents can do to keep kids safe online, check out 8 Keys to End Bullying: Strategies for Parents and Schools