Campus Journalist 
APPLICATION ARE FUN?
They are dangerous too. Applications need information for their databases which could belong to anyone. So, before you download or install an application check the source of the application. Hackers often use messages that people will click on. Social media is a great resource for hackers as everyone is connected. When you click on malicious link you will get infected by malware that will extract your credentials to a criminal databases.
Snapchat is an application for mobile devices that allows subscribers to send photos to other subscribers. However, unlike sending photos or text messages in other ways, Snapchat allows users to set a 1 second to 10-second expiration of the photo. So, users can send time-limited photos that might be embarrassing or just silly without a significant fear that it will find its way to other social media sites where it might live forever.
DISCOVER FEATURES
- Snap chat also has what is known as Discover, which has created some really serious concerns for children and parents.
- When in the Snap chat app, a subscriber can click on Discover and see channels from content publishers with high ranking Snap chat channels.
- The problem is that many of these high ranking channels offer sexually oriented content.
- Although Snap chat’s terms of service discourage explicit content, these channels include images posted from magazines, television stations and other content providers that can be inappropriate for children.
- For example, some of the popular channels featured on Discover include MTV, Cosmopolitan, and Buzz Feed. Kids using Snap chat with the Discover feature need to scroll past the age-inappropriate snaps to see the posts from their friends.
PARENTAL CONCERNS
First of all, for parents who monitor their children’s smartphone use, Snap chat does not save pictures and messages sent so that you can see them later. If you have a software package that allows you to see the content of your child’s phone remotely online, you will not be able to see what was sent and then automatically deleted. That may raise some concerns.
While the photo message disappears from the phone after a few seconds, it does not prevent the receiver from snapping a screenshot of the photo while it is live. To Snap chat’s credit, if a receiver takes a screenshot of the photo, the sender is notified, but that may not be enough to prevent the photo from being shared later with others.
BOTTOM LINE
Snap chat can be a fun and engaging app when used appropriately. But it should be used carefully and with very specific ground rules or not used at all. Apps like Snap chat remind parents that we need to be vigilant about our children’s smartphone use and to monitor their activity to prevent problems like sexting, cyber stalking, cyber bullying or other elements of the “dark side” of smartphone use by our children.
Article By : Harshita C. Jadhav
