Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids' ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more. Depending on what they want to say and to whom, teens choose the app that best fits their needs. If they don't want a message to hang around, they'll use a temporary app. If they want to remain anonymous, they'll use an app. On the plus side, new messaging options let teens share than social media apps such as Facebook, where teens may have hundreds of friends. But it doesn't mean teens can't still get themselves in trouble. Though most teens are only sharing day-to-day moments with an already-tight social group, there can be unintended consequences when teens think temporary messages really disappear forever or when they make mean comments under cover of anonymous apps. Here's what you need to know about the anonymous and disappearing-message apps you're likely to find on your kid's phone: Anonymous Apps and Sites On the positive side, going incognito online helps us express ourselves in ways we might not be able to in the real world. On the negative side, anonymous apps are often riddled with inappropriate content. They also can encourage bullying behavior. Why it's popular: Although there are some friendly interactions on Ask. This iffy content is part of the site's appeal for teens. The British news website MailOnline reported that the site has been linked to the suicides of several teens. Users can decide whether to allow anonymous posts and can remove their answers from streaming to decrease their profile's visibility. If teens do use the site, they'd be best turning off anonymous answers and keeping themselves out of the live stream. But it also offers lots of other mini-apps that let you do everything from exchange virtual greeting cards. Users don't have to reveal real names, so there's a layer of anonymity. Why it's popular: There's much more to Kik than meets the eye: You can send unlimited messages without depleting your texting limit; you can see whether someone has read your message; you can send individual or group messages; you can surf the Web from inside the app itself; and you can access tons of other content from within the app. Make sure they know how to navigate the settings and block people. Talk to your teen about what information they shouldn't share, and encourage them to block people they don't know. Its conversations are filled with lewd language and references to sexual content, drugs and alcohol, and violence. Why it's popular: Online chat rooms have been around for ages, as have the iffy and inappropriate conversations that happen in them. And there's no registration required. Omegle is filled with people searching for sexual chat. Some prefer to do so live. Others offer links to porn websites. And since the chats are anonymous, they're often much more explicit than those with someone who can be identified. Users type a confession, add a background image, and share it with the Whisper community. It's intended for users age 17 and older. Why it's popular: There's something to be said about sharing one's innermost thoughts without repercussions, especially if those thoughts aren't socially acceptable: It's cathartic. For those who simply choose to browse, Whisper can be amusing, heartbreaking, troubling, and comforting all at once. Reading that a teacher has fantasies about his or her students or that someone's father is going to be released from jail and start a custody battle can weigh heavily on teens. Some confessions, however, are totally benign and funny! All too often, Whispers are sexual. Entertainment news sites, , are beginning to feature Whispers. When secrets -- including the embellished or fake ones -- become news, we may begin to find ourselves in tabloid territory. Why it's popular: Teens want to connect with people already in their communities, and Yik Yak delivers on that desire. They can reference teachers and other students, and it's likely that other users will know who they're talking about. Because it's anonymous, teens can feel free to be totally candid. The developers have to comply with law enforcement, so kids can get into real legal trouble if they vent what they feel are idle threats. The best way to approach these apps with your kids? Acknowledge that, chances are, they'll come across extreme, inappropriate, or hurtful content online … and that it's OK for them to ask you about it, especially if it upsets them. These kinds of conversations will be far from fleeting -- the benefits will last a lifetime. Temporary Apps Temporary apps allow people to send messages and images that self-destruct after a set time window. Teens can use these apps to more carefully manage their digital trails -- so long as they don't share things they wouldn't normally send otherwise. It's limited to text; users can't send pictures or video. Why it's popular: Its text-only platform, plus its unique display system that reveals only one word at a time, make it feel more secretive than similar apps. Kids may feel tempted to reveal more than they would otherwise, since Burn Note's developers claim it deletes every copy of the message except from screenshots, which they also try to prevent. If you don't have the app, you'll get a link to a Burn Note message. So even if your kid has no interest in reading supposedly super-secret messages, she could unwittingly get involved. Since there is no record that a conversation took place, kids might feel they can get away with disrespectful behavior. Why it's popular: Teens are drawn to Line not only because it's a bit of an all-in-one mobile hub but also because it offers a lot of of teen-friendly elements, such as a selection of over 10,000 stickers and wacky emoticons, as well as Line Play, an avatar-based social network. The free texting and video calls don't hurt, either. Users can choose how long they'd like their message to last before it vanishes: two seconds or up to a week. These messages also can include location information, pics, and video. Though Line states that its servers are secure, as with Snapchat you can't be too careful. Paying for games and other features within Line can add up, and to keep communication free, the recipient also must be a Line user, meaning your friends have to sign up as well. Why it's popular: Snapchat's creators intended the app's fleeting images to be a way for teens to share fun, light moments without the risk of having them go public. And that's what most teens use it for: sending goofy or embarrassing photos to one another. Teens may pay more attention to Snapchats that they receive, knowing they'll disappear in a matter of seconds. Data is data: Whenever anything is sent online, it never truly goes away. For example, the person on the receiving end can easily take a screenshot of the image before it disappears. Snapchats can even be recovered -- unaffiliated third-party services such as Snapsaved give users the chance to save any Snapchatted pic. Also, users can pay to view Snaps multiple times. The seemingly risk-free messaging might encourage users to share pictures containing inappropriate content. TV Editor Polly Conway and former Common Sense Education writer Kelly Schryver contributed to this article. Be careful and pay attention to what your kids put on their phone. At school my oldest uses a Group Messaging app for teams, classes etc. They've also used GroupMe and Remind so I'm in the habit of checking them all. I've now signed up and been reading and exploring the website. I have found quite a few helpful tidbits but this one on the websites really didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. I just have one comment in general... If you have an issue with what your child can see and search for on their phone... Don't give them a smartphone iphone.... I am the mother of a 14 year old son who does NOT have a smartphone but Does carry an old style flip phone... All he needs it for are emergency calls and an occasional text.... Stop giving teenagers or younger phones that are 3-5 hundred dollars and let's not discuss the bill.... I'm in high school, and I hope you know that most kids DO have smartphones. While I agree that younger kids should not be handed a screen, I think pre-teens and up can handle it. My friend has a flip-phone and it sends the signal that they have a 'helicopter' parent that wants to control texting, calling, and exposure to harmful media. But they are older than me... Then, it'll be easier on both of you. Your son will have a smartphone, won't get hassled, and get some Internet freedom. You will be able to see and control what he is watching, using, and limit the amount of screen time. The app is free on iOS and Android. Somebody identified themselves as my daughter and made mean remarks about other kids in her school. Her school did nothing about it when brought to their attention. Instead of that we can include some other messaging apps like Bubbly that teens love. The above mentioned apps in the article are very much old. Now teens are looking for some new innovative apps to connect with their friends. They say it all the time while not around you, so that shouldn't be a big deal. Focus more on the preventing setting part please. I spend a ton of time each year discussing Internet Safety largely through the Common Sense Media lessons with my 5th and 6th Graders. Although they are often honest with me, it is impossible for me to really know, and this is a great list, I love the idea of stressing not just for their future, but also just because it is the right thing to do! I learned about a couple of new ones! The quest to keep teens safe online and teach them about responsible behaviors is never ending. The contents you discuss will make for a better parent presentation that I'm in the process of creating. These are not ads. We receive no payment, and our editors have vetted each partner and hand-select articles we think you'll like. By clicking and leaving this site, you may view additional content that has not been approved by our editors.
