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Apps like YouNow, Snapchat & Co. are not suitable for kids - so lock them if you want ...
Many apps like YouNow, Snapchat, and Co. are extremely popular with children but are not suitable for them. Should one lock certain apps? We tell you if and how.
Some children are incorrigible. They want to follow every trend and also use apps like YouNow or Snapchat. But for many apps, the little ones are just too young. Should parents lock these apps?
That depends on the child. For many children, forbidden things are tempting and often it does not do anything to forbid children (especially if they can not understand the ban).
The most important thing for you as a parent is to seek the conversation with your child ! Communicate a sense of the dangers of the medium. And set clear boundaries: In such a public medium as YouNow, neither the real name of the child to look for, nor the place of residence or any information about the daily routine, so about when your child will be where.
Media coach Kristin Langer from "Look!" (an initiative of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, among others) also recommends that it is important for children from the age of 13 to discuss how and with whom they want to exchange information. If the use is limited to the closest circle of friends and the child is gentle, speaks little about it. At the same time, you should build trust and talk about using your child's app.
You can also get advice from other parents or address the topic at the parents' evening and get the school on board.
If nothing else helps: You can block individual apps or websites
Especially for children under the age of 13, Kristin Langer even recommends blocking the apps. It would be best to explain this by referring to the age approval (YouNow is only allowed from the age of 13 according to their terms and conditions) and the risks that can not yet be assessed.
Or if your child breaks the security rules agreed with you for over 13 years, you should at least temporarily suspend the app.
It is imperative that you endure the conflict and stay consistent so that children are aware of the risks they are taking if they do not follow their agreed rules.
To lock the apps on an Android phone special special apps are: Perfect App Lock must be installed on your child's mobile phone. Then you can lock individual apps or features with a password. Unlike most other lock apps, your kid will not be able to easily uninstall this app.
For iPhone owners, locking apps is a bit easier: go to the Restrictions menu, tap Restrict Restrictions, and then enter a four-digit code that will enable and disable the restrictions. You can use the slide switch to specify which apps you allow and prohibit access to.
You can also lock the website in your router. If you do, no internet-enabled device, smartphone, or computer will be able to access YouNow's website from your W-LAN. access.
Most widely used is the FritzBox as a router. Go to your computer and enter "fritz.box" in the address bar of your browser.
In the box on the left, under the item "Internet", go to the menu item "Filter". At the top center, open the "Lists" tab. You will see an input window titled "List of blocked websites".
Enter "http://www.younow.com/" there.
Then go to the "Access Profiles" tab. Normally, all devices that use your W-LAN are running under "Standard". That's why you go to the "Standard" edit point. Put a tick next to "Filter web pages". HTTPS pages should continue to allow, so there checkmark. And - important - put another hook at the point "blacklist". Now nobody should be able to surf Younow.com in your household anymore.
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More about YouNow:
YouNow: What's that?
YouNow: A danger to children?
YouNow: That's why children fall into the trap so easily
More tips:
Internet: This is how your children surf safely
Smartphone for kids: what parents should look for
