Parents' Guide to Yubo

Having made safety information more "in your face," the developer has made some efforts when it comes to user safety, but they still fall short when it comes to teens. It helps having frequent reminders of what's appropriate and what's not, and there's live moderation if a livestreamer tries to strip down to underwear -- or more. Still, users' profiles often contain obscene text and profanity and often don't show a real person at all. Livestreaming sessions show teens smoking marijuana, using racial slurs, and talking about graphic sex. And while teens -- or seemingly younger kids -- are livestreaming, anonymous viewers can comment on and even record the streamers. During review teens were sometimes streaming during school, which introduces another layer of trouble. On top of this, parents could object to the app's superficial "make friends based on looks" mechanic, and should definitely be concerned that its age filters don't work. And though it gives you the option of downloading a third-party app to verify your online identity, parents should be aware that it still emphasizes the superficial evaluation of other people and facilitates real-life meetings among strangers. Privacy settings can hide your location and prevent your profile from joining the pernicious, swipe-activated Wheel of Judgment, but for kids, the app's still a no-go.