Stepchickens
By Amanda Bindel,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Quirky premise builds interest-based groups for TikTok fans.
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Stepchickens
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Based on 1 parent review
JOIN THE STEPCHICKEN
What’s It About?
Though the STEPCHICKENS app started with another name entirely, it has evolved into an app partly dedicated to a popular TikTok creator and her very devoted fans. Teens can follow different communities (or "cults") within the app, including the Stepchickens community. There are communities for music styles, gaming, sports, entertainment, style, and more. The standout for teens is the ability to create a private community, giving them the chance to share content with friends in their group. They can share links from TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram with their community. Users earn "blinkcoin" for interacting in the app -- starting communities, joining communities, growing communities -- that can be redeemed for in-app perks like changing username, using emoji packs, or adding a crown to their profile picture.
Is It Any Good?
"Cult" gimmick attracted downloads of this solid idea, but the lag and bugs disappoint. There's nothing original here, either. The content is recycled from other social media sites, some of it poor-quality screen recordings. Communities load slowly and videos lag. The cult idea distracts from what Stepchickens could do well (and was originally designd to do) -- give teens a place to build private communities to share their favorite content. It just falls short of being worthwhile and looks too much like a TikTok clone. It's definitely a great example of how much influence TikTok stars have with their fans, and how deep some of the subcultures can go. An app like Stepchickens is a great opportunity for parents to ask their kids about their online life and get a window into their world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about their family's rules for social media and connecting with strangers on apps like Stepchickens, even if they share common interests. Check out our guide on basic social media rules for ideas.
Have a discussion about marketing and gimmicks. What made your kid want to download Stepchickens? Did they or their friends change their profile picture? If so, did they know what it meant?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad
- Pricing structure: Free
- Release date: June 1, 2020
- Category: Social Networking
- Publisher: blink
- Version: 1.2.11
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 13.1 or later
- Last updated: June 8, 2020
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