New mobile apps let kids stay ahead of their parents

It is getting increasingly difficult for parents in the United States to keep tabs on what their children are up to on their mobile devices as kids discover newer and cooler photo, video and messaging apps that let them stay one step ahead of their folks.
While mom and dad might still be using Facebook to monitor the little ones, kids are sharing photos and posting videos with mobile apps like Kik and Keek, sites their parents probably have never even heard of.

“The lightning-fast transition to mobile technology has left me and I’m sure a lot of other moms on our heels,” said Monica Vila, co-founder of The Online Mom, a safety and mobile technology website for parents.

“It’s a very critical moment in a parent-child relationship to give your child a smartphone,” Vila told RIA Novosti. “It’s a very powerful tool that is not just a communication device, so it’s important to ensure children are prepared.”

While experts say there is no “correct age” to purchase a smartphone or tablet for a child, Vila who regularly blogs about parenting in the Internet age told RIA Novosti, regardless of the child’s age when giving them a new device, it is important to establish rules, discuss how to handle contact with strangers, and remind them that even items privately posted online or shared within apps have the potential of becoming public.

Take the self-destructing photo-sharing app Snapchat as an example. Deemed a “sexting” app by some, it allows users to share photos and videos that can only be viewed for a few seconds before they are automatically erased.