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Yubo is a location-based social networking app previously known as ‘Yellow.’ It has been dubbed ‘Tinder for teens’ due to its similarities with the adult dating app, in which users swipe to !nd matches. Yubo allows users to livestream themselves to anyone watching, and rate other users.
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What parents need to know about YUBO (Formerly ‘Yellow’)
SNAPCHAT While the Yubo app doesn’t directly link to Snapchat anymore – users still tend to share their Snapchat usernames on their pro!les, making them very easy to add on Snapchat without ever speaking to the individual. On Snapchat, if your child’s location feature is switched on, there is a high chance that strangers can !nd your child’s exact location.
WHO IS USING YUBO? Although its o"cial guidelines suggest the app is for people aged 18+, those aged between 13 and 17 can create a pro!le with parental permission. Furthermore, the app does not verify ages or identities upon sign-up, leading to fears that it could be exploited by those seeking to target children. Adults can set up fake pro!les for sexual reasons, while children younger than 13, with access to the Internet, could pretend to be older than they are.
LIVE-STREAM FOOTAGE Yubo states that it uses a combination of technical tools and human moderators to check the content created by Yubo, but since users can comment on footage in real-time this could mean that children could be exposed to derogatory or unpleasant language. Media reports indicate that teens are being pressured into undressing live on camera for strangers, sending nude photos, and are even lured into face-to-face meetings on Yubo. Any users can take screenshots or copies of live streams, alter them and share themwith others.
BULLYING & MENTAL HEALTH The way Yubo works is that users ‘swipe’ to accept or decline to talk to someone. Whether users accept or decline is all based on their pro!le picture, meaning there is the potential that children could be left with low self-esteem if declined. Receiving comments about their appearance can have a negative impact on a child’s emotional wellbeing, leaving them feeling less con!dent about how they look or how interesting they are. Bullying includes actions such as making threats or spreading rumours about people. As users have the ability to screenshot copies of live streams and private messages etc., they can use these screengrabs as forms of blackmail, making the person feel victimised, embarrassed and unsafe.
Top Tips for Parents
HAVE A CHAT Start a conversation with your teenager so that they know how to stay safe online. Don’t be embarrassed to talk about inappropriate online content with your children and look out for secretive or reserved behaviour when it comes to their Internet devices. DISCUSS YUBO GUIDELINES Take time to go through Yubo’s Community Guidelines, which all users receive a link to, when they sign up to the app. Anyone who does not follow the guidelines may have their content removed or account suspended. Guidelines include advice on not posting any fake pictures or pretending to be anyone else. YUBO GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS Yubo o#ers a guide (http://parents-guide.yubo.live) to reassure parents about their child’s usage. It explains how the app works, how children can stay safe and outlines its ‘!ve-step approach to safety,’ including Sign-up, Pro!le Settings, Community Guidelines, Moderation and Reporting.
REMOVE LOCATION FEATURE In their ‘Pro!le’ settings, children can hide their city and choose to connect with people who are only located within a certain radius of their location. PROOF OF AGE Yubo recently updated its security settings so that users who attempt to change their date of birth after signing up now have to send proof of ID to the app in order to verify the change. ENCOURAGE RESPECT Remind your teenager to always consider anything they are about to share online and to think about whether they would do that in the ‘real world’, or whether they are posting something they may regret at a later date. Encourage your child to think about the language they use online and to think carefully before making a comment on content posted by someone else.
AVOIDING UNEXPECTED IMAGES Yubo suggests that teenagers ask the person they are talking with to share a picture of themselves with a spoon on their head to prove they are really who they say they are in their picture. Another tip is to avoid pro!les with only one photo as these are often ‘cat!sh’ - someone who pretends to be somebody else by creating false identities. AVOIDING UNEXPECTED IMAGES Report any suspicious activity. You can report any concerns by clicking on the ‘$ag’ icon within the app or by visiting ‘Yubo’s SafetyCentre’ at http://safety.yellw.co. This includes pornographic, sexually implicit content, bullying, grooming and fake accounts. PREPARE FOR ‘GOING LIVE’ Yubo users can ‘Go Live’ during a chat with friends or choose to live stream‘Anyone’ on Yubo. To help your child avoid sharing too much, help them to consider whether they really want the world seeing what they are doing. If they are going to watch streams they should also know how to report anything that makes them feel upset, uncomfortable
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http://teens.yubo.live/ http://community.yubo.live/ https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/news-blogs/yubo-formerly-yellow-dating- app-teens/
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