Parents' Guide to

Mappen - Make Something Happen

By Neilie Johnson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Risky, location-based app has inconsistent functionality.

Mappen - Make Something Happen Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

Community Reviews

age 12+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 11+

Great way for my kid Leyna to socialize

My sweetheart Leyna goes to middle school and at first I wasn't okay with the app but when I learned that you decide who you want to share your info with. Lot of people think it’s dangerous but if you don’t want some people to see where you are just turn them off. I check Leynas' app every day to make sure she isn't adding someone I have never heard about. Ever since she has gotten the app she has made 22 new friends at her school! I decided to keep my baby girl safe and got the app too. It's a great way to know where Leyna is at all time!

This title has:

Easy to play/use
age 12+

We love the Mappen App and use it all the time in our family.

As a parent of 2 and in a couple of months 3 teenagers, this app has been invaluable. This is the only "social media" we let our kids have. My girls know to only invite friends who they wouldn't mind inviting anywhere. I love knowing where they are, when they will be home. I don't have to worry about them going for a run on their own- I know where they are. On several occasions, we have been out to eat, at the mall, at the bookstore or on a walk- and we've received notifications that friends are near us. This has been the inspiration for spur of the moment double-dates, friend get togethers, and shoppingf advice. I can't imagine having teenagers without it!

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (1):

This location-sharing networker does have some safeguards in place, but it's still a risky -- and technically glitchy -- choice for teens. On the upside, teens only choose people to add from their own contact list and can choose to be invisible if they don't want to share their location. However, if teens don't stay on top of the settings, they may continuously share their location which is a problem for a wide variety of reasons, including the fact that they might not make the best choices about who to add. The most likely problem, however, is fuel for teen drama, so if your kid can see friends hanging out but wasn't invited, there'll be hurt feelings. The "hide" feature, though likely meant to safeguard feelings, is another potential drama-creator if someone forgets to use it. And if relationships go sour or a significant other gets clingy, having your location on display is a set-up for trouble. In terms of functionality, the app's effectiveness varies across platforms; at present, only Apple users can create “favorites” maps. Android users can't add locations to maps without attaching them to specific events. Worse, because of the confusion around inviting others ("follow" vs. "invite"), many reviews indicate the app feels "spammy" because it texts people who don't yet have the app. While it seems fun and potentially safe to share location with friends only, the disadvantages of constant location sharing (even with friends only) outweigh the advantages. Instead of using Mappen – Make Something Happen teens can stick to finding out what's happening the old-fashioned way -- through text.

App Details

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