After School App: Parents Beware!

After School App: Parents Beware!

After School is an app created “as a safe place just for teens to connect and share with others at their school.” The problem is After School has very low standards when it comes to safety of users, mainly because all posts are anonymous. Mind you, this app is geared towards hormone-driven teenagers. When teens and social media mix, it is a swirl of problems to come. The After School app has a 17+ rating, and its website warns teens younger than 17 not to create an account or post any content. However, kids as young as 13 can access the app if their parents don’t have restrictions set up on their phones.

After School has many downsides to its claim of “anonymity.” Not only does this make it harder for law enforcement to pin-point who posted what when it comes to cyber bullying, but it also makes it easier for perverted teens (or adults who pretend to be teens) to post pornography or crude humor and promote drug use. This app is not as moderated as you may think, and adults can even go as far as to make fake identities on Facebook just to get into the app. This is like the Tor Network of social media. It’s easier to get away with stuff because no one knows who said what. In my opinion, After School needs to remove its anonymity feature before it is truly ready.

Buffalo Broadcasting System