It is designed to create seamless integration for multimedia messages, group chats of up to 250 people, and a variety of other features, such as location sharing, for every connected device. Originally for Verizon users, the platform is now available for non-Verizon users as well.
Message+, by Verizon Wireless, is an app similar to iMessage in the Apple universe, integrating messaging across all devices. It’s not a kid-friendly concept, and parents should be wary of MeetMe. This Tinder and Skype hybrid connects nearby users and allows them to video chat on the app. Rated for users 17 and older, the MeetMe is not an app for kids. However, parents will be happy to know that kids can only talk to people on their friend list and not total strangers. Parents should treat this the same as any other group video chat and only allow their teens to use this app with caution. Users can share media, links, music, and more in real time on a group chat with up to ten people, so they can watch friends reactions. It is a hybrid of other popular apps - essentially GroupMe meets Skype. AirtimeĪirtime is the ambitious intersection of group chats and video chats. Parents might want to steer their teens away from this app due to the unsafe nature of anonymous messaging and disappearing messages. Contact lists and group memberships are not stored on any server, as they are managed on the device alone. This is all done using only a Threema ID, so it remains anonymous. Threema is an anonymous, encrypted messaging service where users can make secure and private voice calls, send instant messages and media that automatically delete upon delivery. Threemaĭuring a time in which we see our privacy evaporating at an almost daily rate, $2.99 can feel like a worthwhile cost for security. Users can add their video, image, or text on to a “Chain.” These chains are either just seen by friends if they are private, or by anyone in the world who wants to view that public community chain. To keep up with recent trends, Oovoo released a new “Chains” feature that is very similar to a Snapchat Story, but with a slightly more interactive twist. Oovoo is quite standard as far as communication apps go users can text and send multimedia, or video chat with up to 8 friends. It is important to keep pace with some of the apps your teen may be using to talk to friends, so we compiled a list of popular messaging apps kids are now using. Snapchat, FaceTime, Houseparty… the list continues to expand. In the technological age we live in, there are more ways to communicate than anyone could possibly stay on top of.