MEDINA, Ohio, July 18 – Thirtyseven4, LLC, a leading provider of Windows, Mac and Android antivirus solutions, released today five practical and important precautions for keeping children safe and informed of the dangers of today’s prevalent apps. According to a study conducted by Thirtyseven4 that polled its Facebook followers and Mobile Security customers: photo-sharing and video-sharing apps such as Instagram and Snapchat were among the most popular apps identified by parents of kids with Smartphones, and 78.5% of those surveyed felt these apps were completely safe.
“A common practice on Instagram is to upload pictures and assign hashtags to photos [adding tags to photos helps users connect to new followers and share their photos with more people]. The inherent danger in this practice is that the use of Hashtags allows anyone, including complete strangers with access to Instagram, to view your images and the private information associated with it. This increases risks in many areas, including the accidental exposure of private photos. This may result in unhealthy or unwanted attention from strangers,” said Steven Sundermeier, Owner of Thirtyseven4.
“People also view Snapchat as a harmless app with its ability to destroy an image after a period of 10 -15 seconds. What most users aren’t considering is that the recipient of the video or photo can take a screenshot of the image and redistribute that photo on their social networking sites. This potential for harm can increase the risk of cyberbullying among other things,” concluded Sundermeier
Thirtyseven4 suggests the following educational and precautionary measures to reduce the risks associated with today’s popular apps:
1) Take the time to become familiar with your child’s Smartphone and its technology.
2)Take advantage of applications with mobile tracking software installed, which allow you to use your home computer to track your child’s text messages, phone calls, etc. online.
3) Make it a priority and requirement to join your child on his/her Instagram and other social networking accounts. By doing so, you will be able to see and search the public information being posted by or about your child.
4) Place download and content restrictions on your children’s phone.
5) Make it a habit to educate your child on the dangers and risks associated with Smartphone apps
About Thirtyseven4:
Born out of a desire to better connect antivirus protection solutions with premium customer support and service, Thirtyseven4, LLC seeks to protect schools, businesses, governmental agencies and home‐users with the best antivirus products available. Thirtyseven4 is an American company built on honesty, trust and value for the customer. http://www.thirtyseven4.com.
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