FTC cracks down on popular anonymous messaging app
JACKSON, Tenn. — A mobile app is currently on the FTC’s radar because it may not be safe for kids.
NGL is an app that allows people to anonymously send message and questions to other users. It claims to be a fun way to get to know your friends. However, in some cases, that may not be what is going on.
“In this case the FTC actually crunched down on them and found out that they were doing some illegal and deceptive acts when it came to teenagers downloading this app. So it kind of did more harm than it did good,” said Toddnetta Trice, communications specialist for the Better Business Bureau.
It claims that potentially harmful words and phrases have been filtered out to protect from cyberbullying, however, there are still many phrases that get used, which cause harm. It also seems to generate fake messages that did not actually get sent by real people.
“Bullying terms like, ‘everyone hates you,’ was definitely involved in the NGL app. So in that case it involves people sending messages that had those words in there. And that does not combat cyberbullying unfortunately,” said Trice.
Apps and online services are required to get consent from parents to collect and use the data of the children who are under 13. This particular app seems like it is failing to do that.
“But of course, we’re dealing with kids that have been born into the technology world so, as a parent, you may think that your child needs permission, but these kids are so smart that they are bypassing that,” said Trice.
It is always safe practice to use an app yourself before allowing your child to download it to their device. Also, be sure to read online reviews to make sure you are well informed about what the app entails.
Another tip Trice gave us is to always report issues to the app itself or to the FTC if you see any problems at all. You can always call the Better Business Bureau and they will take a closer look. The FTC is currently looking into the issues with this particular app.
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