Zift Advisory
Spotafriend is a teen social networking app. The app is free to download in iTunes and Google Play and rewards users for watching advertisements, and allows unrestricted chat and messaging. This app also has in-app purchases and features advertisements. The Spotafriend app is rated mature for users 17+ in iTunes and is not recommended for kids.
What is Spotafriend - Meet Teens App?
Spotafriend uses location-based matching, and allows users to forward member profiles through social networking platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as to email through Gmail accounts.
As for how Spotafriend works, users swipe right for matches they like; if both users swipe right for each other, they’re a match and can then begin chatting privately.
Should a user really wish to be connected with another member, they can choose to Super Swipe on their account, which puts their profile at the top of the queue to be viewed by that user; in short, a Super Swipe lets another user know that person likes them.
Ads are heavily featured on Spotafriend, allowing users to access the app for free, but parents should know that Spotafriend features in-app purchases, ranging in price from $2.99 to $24.99.
Spotafriend does offer a paid membership, called Ultimate Access, which runs users $2.99 per week, $7.99 per month, $16.99 for 3 months, and $24.99 for 6 months.
The perks of upgrading to an Ultimate Access membership to Spotafriend are as follows: “Ad free mobile experience, Unlimited Boomerang, Unlock swipe history, Change old swipes, Ultimate Badge on profile, 2 extra Super Swipes per day, Priority listings in your area.”
Is Spotafriend - Meet Teens App safe for my kids?
Parents should know that Spotafriend is has the potential to be used as a hookup app, placing heavy emphasis on looks. Users rate each other based upon appearance, which is similar to the old “Hot or Not” app.
This app dubbed “Tinder for teens” by the media is not safe for kids, and the terms of use minimum age of 13 doesn’t match up with the App Store mature rating of 17 years or older.
Spotafriend does feature an age verification system, but the system is easily gamed. To verify a user’s age, Spotafriend instructs members to take a selfie in a designated pose, upload and additional photo, as well as state their date of birth. All of this, however, is useless, as users are easily able to change their age after creating their profile.
The number of adults on Spotafriend is a testament to how easy it is to game the system, and why the app has been called a playground for pedophiles.
Beyond the weak age verification process, the fact that profiles can be forwarded from the platform should cause concern.
Users are able to forward any member profile and share onto platforms including Facebook and Twitter, as well as through Gmail, which could open young users to cyberbullying.
With an age recommendation between 13-19, Spotafriend is questionable, at best.
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