commonsensemedia

Published 12.01.2021 00:24

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Frog - What's Up Friend

A lot or a little?

Parents need to know that Frog - What's Up Friend is a free social media app aimed at young teens. There are some protections in place, but much of it relies on user awareness and precaution. Users are required to submit a video that includes their face to be "verified," but verification isn't required to view videos, friend other users, or send messages. User-generated content -- that is supposed to be moderated -- includes the use of words like "sh*t", "f*ck," and beastiality, and there seems to be no moderation whatsoever of privately sent videos between "friends." The terms of service require kids to be at least 13 years old to participate, but there are no restrictions in place to ensure this is enforced. In fact, user reviews report concerns about predatory behavior from older users. Since ages are visible in profiles, it's easy to target the youngest users. There's a toggle to make a user only visible to friends, but it's not readily available during account creation. There's also no tour or overview so kids may not know how the app works until they have posted content. Kids can also connect to and use features of Snapchat within the app. It's also possible to purchase in-app currency without asking for parental permission. Read the developer's privacy policy for details on how your (or your kids') information is collected, used, and shared and any choices you may have in the matter, and note that privacy policies and terms of service frequently change.