It’s every parent’s worst nightmare, their child using a dating app at the extremely young age of 10-12 years old. SeaFM’s Bianca, Ben and Lakey have Psychologist Sandy Rea on the show who weighs in on the alarming news that Tweens and Teens are using Tinder and Grindr.
Sandy says, “the technology is used to weaponise by others to harm children”, meaning pedophiles are using the apps. There are a number of dangers associated with tweens using Tinder. Including, exposure to predators, Cyberbullying and Exposure to inappropriate content.
Sandy says you need to have these conversations with your children, “you have to empower your children by not being afraid to have these conversations”.
If you’re concerned that your child may be using Tinder, there are a few things you can do to protect them:
- Talk to your child about the dangers of Tinder. Explain to them that the app is not intended for children and that there are risks associated with using it.
- Set parental controls on your child’s phone or tablet.
- Monitor your child’s online activity. Keep an eye on the websites and apps they’re using, and talk to them about anything that concerns you.
Listen to Sandy’s advice here:
Listen live to Bianca, Ben and Lakey from 6.00am weekdays on Gold Coast’s 90.9 SeaFM or Download the free LiSTNR app to grab the podcast now.
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