Apps – Page 2 – Siouxland Modern Media Committee

11Sep 2021 by Martin Van't Foort

Telegram

Apps

Telegram is a free messaging app that was launched in 2013 by brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durov, who previously founded VKontakte. VKontakte is best described as the Russian version of Facebook. Currently, the company behind Telegram is based in Dubai. Telegram currently claims to have 500 million active users each month. According to SEO blog Backlinko, "25 million new users joined Telegram during a 72-hour peak in January 2021. That equates to about 8.33 million new registrations per day. And over 100 million new users started using Telegram in January alone.” The rush to Telegram was prompted by GAFAM’s (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft) attempted censorship of popular conservative voices such as Donald Trump. Telegram functions like a classic instant messaging app. You can send messages to other users, create…

02Aug 2021 by Martin Van't Foort

RobinHood

Apps, Cell Phones

Robinhood is an app designed for the average person to invest money in stocks, funds, options, and cryptocurrency. They attract users by giving them one free stock when they join and by allowing them to trade commission-free. The app requires users to be at least 18 years old, however, kids younger than 18 could set up an account if they know certain information about their parents, such as their social security number and ID number. It is a choice to invest in the stock market, either personally or through an advisor or broker; however, by doing it personally, it can become addicting and consume a lot of family time. Buying and selling stocks is simple on Robinhood. You can buy stocks for any publicly traded company, such as Apple and…

01Mar 2021 by nrcmmc

Reeling in Reels

Apps, Filters, Hazards

Has the app TikTok appeared on your kids’ phone? Have you heard of TikTok on the news? Did you happen to read our previous article on TikTok? (click to read) Are you aware of the controversy over the app and it’s creators? Even if you were aware of all this, the piece of information you may not have connected yet is that Instagram’s feature ‘REELS’ is a spin-off of the popular video platform. When TikTok was going through its legal battles, Instagram saw it as an opportunity to create another feature to give its users something ‘to do’ on their app, which in turn promotes Instagram’s virtual popularity. The following article from The Verge provides more information. https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/5/21354117/instagram-reels-tiktok-vine-short-videos-stories-explore-music-effects-filters Not all Reels are created equal, and that is the problem. Many…

03Feb 2021 by nrcmmc

Review of VSCO App

Apps, Reviews

In the current times, various social media apps such as TikTok and VSCO are gaining traction, particularly with teenagers. VSCO was created in 2012 but recently gained popularity when Instagram users with a lot of followers began using the #VSCO hashtag. VSCO is a photo editing and media sharing tool. The free version gives users access to standard editing tools, such as white balance, exposure, contrast and a sampling of the available presets. Users can scroll and test out presets themselves or can tap on the “for this photo” feature, which displays a collection of suggested presets for each specific photograph. The free version also allows users to explore others’ photos and find inspiration in curated portfolios that include collections such as “humankind,” “editorial,” “summer,” and “style” to name…

04Jan 2021 by nrcmmc

App Locker

Apps, Cell Phones, Privacy, Resources

App Locker Another new term in modern media use--app locker. You might be wondering, “What is an app locker?” It is as it sounds; basically, it is an app that can safeguard existing downloaded apps on your device, by ‘locking’ them. App lockers help prevent children, or other parties, from delving into personal information. The ability to “lock” only certain apps using a pattern code or PIN code known to the user, is what makes this feature beneficial to smartphone users. When and who should you have an app locker installed on their smartphone or device? People who have kids. This is especially true if your kids use your phone for various activities like watching YouTube or playing kids games. Set up the applock correctly and you can keep your…

08Oct 2020 by nrcmmc

Webinars by Protect Young Eyes

Apps, Cell Phones, Guidelines, Hazards, Pornography, Privacy, Resources

Do you find yourself wondering about all the apps and platforms your teens are using, but not sure where to find solid, trusted information about them? Check out the Protect Young Eyes Webinar list at https://protectyoungeyes.com/the-tech-ready-parent-webinars/ 30 MINUTE WEBINARS – PRACTICAL & ACTIONABLE – 3 EVERY WEEK – FREE Upcoming Webinars include: Girls Watch Porn Too Snapchat 101 Rein in YouTube Instagram 101 Many more options on the PYE website *Please note, that although we have found valuable information from an external web page for our blog post, we do not endorse all information, religious views and opinions posted on these third-party websites.

08Sep 2020 by nrcmmc

The Most Popular Apps for Teens: What’s Hot, What’s Not

Apps

These days, it's tough to keep up with the ever-changing world of apps that our children are using. The linked article below contains a list of popular apps for teenagers and what parents should be aware of concerning these apps. View Article We have written more detailed reviews for a couple of the apps that are mentioned in this summary, including TikTok & Instagram "finsta" accounts, which you can view on our website here or our blog here. *Please note, that although we have found valuable information from an external web page for our blog post, we do not endorse all information, religious views and opinions posted on these third-party websites.

06May 2020 by nrcmmc

How Much is TOO MUCH Sharing?

Apps, Guidelines, Hazards

OVERSHARING?Anna updated her status:“Looking for ideas on what to do this weekend while my parents are out of town, input?”Sam shared a picture:“Her curls bounce all over as she’s walking! She is just so cute taking her first steps, we’re so proud!”Anita checked in at ‘Trampoline Park Craze’“This is one 7 year old birthday party my daughter and I will never forget! Let’s JUMP!”Sharing our activities, families, and looking for advice are just a few things that we naturally do as a society these days. It’s our way of connecting with the world and being social with each other. Physically being with our family members and friends isn’t always possible, so it is nice to have the resource of technology to share these updates and receive quick feedback.Until the sharing…

06May 2020 by nrcmmc

Vault Apps – Are They Hiding Something?

Apps, Reviews

VAULT APPS - Are They Hiding Something? At first glance one sees a calculator and music app--normal apps found on a cell phone, right? However, this is an easy way to hide pictures and videos from your typical photo gallery. They are also used to hide chats, searches,downloads within various apps. With a quick Google search, there are You-Tube videos and articles suggesting the best apps available to conceal photos or other information on your cell phone. While some articles boast of the importance of hiding your personal information, credit card information, media files under these vault apps (also called ghost or disguised apps), simple safety settings on your cell phone can do the same. The most common use for these is to hide inappropriate cell phone pictures/videos or shared…

07Apr 2020 by nrcmmc

What is Zoom?

Apps, Reviews, Tutorials

What is Zoom? Zoom is a platform that offers remote conferencing by combining video conferencing, online meetings, chat, mobile collaboration. It can be utilized by anyone and is free for meetings that have less than 100 participants and have duration of 40 minutes or less. You will have to set up an account. A guide for doing this is located here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360034967471-Quick-start-guide-for-new-users#h_b0c98dfa-d90f-486d-9617-71ab7b41a273 A guide for hosting a meeting for family and friends is located here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362613-How-Do-I-Host-A-Video-Meeting- If you have been sent a meeting invite, a guide for joining the meeting can be located here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193-Joining-a-Meeting As always there are some safety tips to keep in mind when utilizing Zoom. USA Today did an excellent job of summarizing some safety tips. Here is the link: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/04/02/how-to-keep-zoombombing-hackers-away-zoom-safety-tips/5113080002/. Please review it before using zoom.Additionally, always remember to be…

Category: Apps