Common Sense Media Review
By Chris Morris
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Anonymous app aimed at vulnerable audience justifies fears.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Ogle - Campus Feed
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
Once you let OGLE - CAMPUS FEED identify your location, it will let you choose from nearby colleges and high schools. You can then look at posts from users at that school or peek at posts from other schools, including a dizzying array of high schools around the country. Students (or others) can anonymously post text, images, or short videos for other users to see and comment on. Though the app is still fairly new, it has an active community of users: There are frequent questions asking for opinions about other students, which very often descends into harassment. Beyond commenting, users can like or dislike a photo and tap a button to report inappropriate content.
Is It Any Good?
Put simply, this anonymous app features every parent's fears about social media. Though anonymity doesn't necessarily mean bad behavior, it certainly does in this case: Many posts are about fellow students, and the replies are overwhelmingly mean, disparaging, homophobic, or sexist. Girls who post a picture (or anyone who posts a girl's picture, for that matter) are immediately asked for nude photos. Already, teens have used the app to make threats, and people are clamoring for it to be taken out of the app stores. Though there are users who try to post positive messages or combat the overwhelming negativity, they are immediately ridiculed and shouted down in the comments. Because the terms of service and website don't have any clear instructions about what people shouldn't post or about how to report bullying, there's no recourse for victims: Users can tap a button if they object to a post, but it doesn't mean it'll get taken down. Ultimately, this app gives a voice to the lowest common denominator within school communities and can only cause tears and trouble.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the problem of cyberbullying and the real impact it has on people. How can you stay safe online? What can you do to be an upstander if you witness bullying?
Discuss how everything you put online is permanent and can come back to haunt you, and talk about the perks and pitfalls of social media.
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : April 11, 2016
- Genre : Social Networking
- Publisher : Nuistars Inc.
- Version : 1.0.3412
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 7.0 or later; Android 4.1 and up
- Last updated : November 22, 2021
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