Zift Advisory
9GAG is a companion app for the popular meme-sharing website of the same name, where users share GIFs, memes, and viral videos. 9GAG often contains content that is inappropriate for children. Users may find adult language, mature content, and graphic imagery.
What is 9GAG: Best LOL Pics & GIFs?
9GAG is a companion app for the popular meme-sharing website of the same name, where users share GIFs, memes, and viral videos. The content you'll find there is often intended for older teens and adults.
The 9GAG site is divided by tags, allowing users to find and share content in their areas of interest. This can range from harmless pop culture jokes and cute animal pictures to mature material with explicit sexual language and graphic visuals.
Any area of content marked 'NSFW' (not safe for work) is known to contain content of an explicit, sexual or violent nature. This does not apply to individual comments or content relayed through private messaging.
Users can vote on contributions from and interact with other 9GAG users in lightly-moderated public comment threads or via private message. While often lighthearted, these comment threads can become inappropriate with little warning and in some cases considered cyberbullying or harassment.
The 9GAG app also lets users discover, create, and share content to all major social media and messaging apps, including Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Line.
The current version of the 9GAG mobile app contains both in-app purchases and ads.
Is 9GAG: Best LOL Pics & GIFs safe for my kids?
9GAG often contains content inappropriate for children; there is adult language, mature content, and graphic imagery. While frequently lighthearted and fun, there are several reasons the 9GAG app isn't safe for children.
This app presents a privacy risk. Users are encouraged to film and share personal videos with 9GAG's online community – even or especially over their parent's objections. The developer's latest description of the 9GAG app includes the phrase, “Oh, and UPLOAD anything secretly. Your parents will never know."
9GAG uses a points system to judge the quality of user-submitted content and comments. This can create competition to push the envelope, especially in the less-moderated areas of the site, and may encourage children to actively seek out inappropriate content for social validation.
Combined with semi-anonymous communication, this app creates conditions for cyberbullying and harassment. Anyone can have and operate as many disposable 9GAG accounts as they wish. No age or identity verification is required at sign-up, and creating an account is free. Hostile users are able to act without fear of consequences – while earning points for cyberbullying.
Any site built for sharing user-generated content is bound to stray into mature territory, but 9GAG's competitive ratings system, anonymous participation, and privacy concerns make it a particularly unsafe app for children and younger teens.
9GAG – both the site and the app - is safe for older teens who are able to engage responsibly with mature content and communicate safely online. Before installing 9GAG, consider making your child is aware of:
- What content you consider appropriate for them to access, and why
- How to engage safely with strangers in public forums
- How to identify and navigate potentially toxic online communities
- How to recognize and process cyberbullying and harassment
- What steps to take if they encounter inappropriate or threatening behavior
- What content is and isn't appropriate to create or share
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