YikYak, Yubo, and MeetMe. These are among the dangerous apps parents will be urged to monitor on their child’s social media during a talk Tuesday, April 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Joel Barlow High School.
Woodbury Police Officer Rich Marsh, a 17-year veteran of the department, will present “The Secrets of the Apps,” an event sponsored by Easton’s Here to Help to provide helpful information to parents or guardians of students who have or want smartphones, and what they should think about before purchasing them for their children.
“We will discuss how the kids use each particular app both for innocent and nefarious reasons,” said Marsh. “I also talk about some apps such as YikYak, Yubo, and MeetMe, and how they are just outright dangerous. We talk about the various messaging apps that are out there as well as some of the gaming apps too.”
Sarah Lehberger, the prevention co-chair for Easton’s Here to Help, said the event will help educate parents.
“Adults are worried about teens/tweens and their screen time, as well as the safety or health implications that come with having smartphones, apps and social media,” said Lehberger. “We need all of the tools and guidance we can get to better understand this tricky digital landscape that our children are navigating or will in the future.”
The program is specifically targeted for parents or guardians of children from second grade to high school. As social media and different apps have become more popular, more parents are becoming aware of the apps out there.
“I have seen a bit of a shift in that now parents are aware of the apps, and many of the parents use the apps as well,” said Marsh. “But they do not know some of the finer things that are inside the apps, or just lack the advanced knowledge about the apps or the general functioning of their cellular phone to know what their kids have access to.”
Adults interested in hearing Marsh speak can still register for the event by clicking here and submit questions that they would like him to answer during the program.
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