Common Sense Media Review
By Amanda Bindel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gimmicky tool for connecting with Snapchatting strangers.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Hoop.
Privacy Rating Warning
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
What's It About?
HOOP. connects with the popular social media app Snapchat to help users make new friends. Users first allow Hoop. to access their Snapchat account, and it automatically connects with the account logged in on that device. They then set up a profile including their age, gender, and pictures. From there, others on the app view their information, and if interested, tap the Snapchat icon to request their username. If not interested, they simply hit the red "X" and move on to the next candidate. Once they've exchanged Snap info, the rest of the conversation happens in Snapchat. There's no chat in Hoop., and location information isn't included -- though some users put it on their profile image or bio. Teens earn points for logging in daily, sharing their Snap, getting Snap friends to join Hoop., and taking surveys.
Is It Any Good?
What could be wrong with an app that makes it easy for teens to share personal information with strangers? Hoop. asks permission to connect to a user's Snapchat account, so it has access to that personal information. Still it has users choose an age when creating their Hoop. profile -- definitely a potential safety risk. Within moments of logging on, teens will find dozens of requests to share their Snap username. And they'll be rewarded with points for sharing their Snap with a stranger. Hoop. also incorporates a points system with diamonds, rewarding teens for logging in daily and completing other tasks, similar to Snapstreaks, which have been shown to lead to anxiety and compulsion. Teens are also encouraged to take surveys, which can collect a lot of user data. All in all, there's just not much good that can come of Hoop.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about safe ways to meet new people other than apps like Hoop.
What are your family's expectations about adding followers on social media? Do you have to have mutual friends? Should you have met in person?
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : November 6, 2019
- Genre : Social Networking
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Publisher : Dazz
- Version : 2.17.3
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 10.0 or later; Android 4.4 and up
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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