Why Is Poparazzi App Unsafe for Teens?

Jun 14, 2022 | Teens' Perspective and Reseearch

Social media has become an integral part of our lives leading people to form a daily ritual of checking in on social media platforms to stay updated on the latest buzz.

Take the Poparazzi app, for instance – it took everyone by the storm and became the latest sensation with millions of users, including teenagers, in a matter of days.

Are you a parent with teens using the Poparazzi app? Do you wish to know if it is unsafe for your kids? We are here to satisfy your every query. Let’s see what this app is all about to figure out whether it is safe for teens.

What Is Poparazzi App?

The selfie craze has plagued the globe for nearly a decade. It fuelled the incessant need to capture the perfect glamourous photo in everyone – teens and adults alike.

Poparazzi app promotes discontent with the selfie phenomenon. It is the latest photo-sharing platform where your friends act as your personal paparazzi, and you become theirs. Simply put, your friends create your profile by capturing and posting your photos, and you do the same for them.

This app elevates the pressure to look perfect and puts the photographer behind the lens instead. With this app, you no longer need to hold the camera at arm’s length or struggle to get the perfect click.

Why Is It So Popular?

Poparazzi app elevates the pressure to look perfect and puts the photographer behind the lens instead. With this app, you no longer need to hold the camera at arm’s length or struggle to get the perfect click.

People are backing away from the conventional selfie-crazed social media platforms, such as Instagram, after realizing the dangers they pose for youngsters. That patronage skyrocketed with the arrival of Poparazzi.

This app also gained popularity because of its marketing strategy, coupled with its public launch as a symbol of a post-pandemic reunion.

How Does It Work?

Once you download the app, a mini-teaser furnishes a brief intro on how to use its features. The app requests access to the camera, contacts, mobile number, notifications, etc. Users generate a passcode to authenticate their number and then continue to add their data. You get to add three people who may take your best photo, and you must invite them first to use this app to use its features.

Your profile consists of two sections:

  1. Pictures of you captured by others.
  2. Pictures of others captured by you.

It also shows you who clicked most of your photos (if that person is in your phonebook). The feature that sets it apart is that users cannot edit, crop, caption, or add filters to any photos on this platform. You can only tag people who already exist in your follow list. The app automatically follows everyone in your contact list who uses this app. This may raise a cause for concern among parents.

Is Poparazzi App Unsafe for Teens?

Although the Poparazzi app promotes candid photo culture, it shares all the disadvantages of photo-crazed social media platforms. Some of the major drawbacks of this include:

  • Addiction to the app
  • Wasting time
  • Self-Indulgence
  • Cyber-bullying
  • Misuse of pictures
  • Body shaming, etc.

Parents must beware of the unusual dangers associated with the Poparazzi app apart from the pitfalls listed above. Here are a few examples:

  • Matching people via phone numbers

Poparazzi automatically matches you with everyone in your contact list who uses this app. They may access all your pictures with or without your consent. That can prove to be dangerous. Any exes, abusers, stalkers, etc., may gain access to your teens’ profile and could harass them.

  • Subtle pressure to engage with other users

Indirectly, this app pressures you to engage with other users by pushing you to invite more people. You do not get much traction if your profile has fewer pictures. That could cause teens to compete and coerce friends into posting more candid photos.

  • Linking Poparazzi Profile with Snapchat

The whole premise of Poparazzi is to promote the movement of self-acceptance and candid images. Yet, it allows users to link their profiles to Snapchat. When teens connect their Poparazzi profile with Snapchat, it opens the door to a realm of issues such as sexting, online grooming, etc. That rings alarm bells for parents, as teenagers’ Snapchat monitoring is easier said than done.

How Can Parental Control Apps Help?

Teens are undeniably moody. They are easily offended when anyone breaches their privacy. Understandably, parents wish to tread lightly. Parental control apps allow you to walk that thin line with ease. Many top-tier apps, such as FamilyTime, provide you with extensive safety features to help protect your teens from the dangers of online communities. 

FamilyTime can help you monitor your kids’ activities (both online and offline). Its app blocker revokes your teens’ access to any app you deem unsafe. With its Screen Time Limit feature, parents can define how long their teens may use an app – including the Poparazzi app.

All kids need parental supervision, and teens are no exception! The FamilyTime app can help you give your teens a safer digital experience.

FamilyTime helps families manage and protect their children’s digital lives.

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