Zift Advisory
VSCO is a photography app that allows users to upload or take photos and edit and add filters. This app is available in both the App Store and the Google Play Store, is rated for users 12 years of age and older, and offers in-app purchases. This app is best suited for responsible teens.
What is VSCO: Photo & Video Editor?
Developed by Virtual Supply Company, VSCO is a photography app that allows users to upload or take photos, edit and add filters, as well as share with other VSCO users or friends on social media.
This app is available in both the App Store and the Google Play Store. This app is rated for users 12 years of age and older and offers in-app purchases.
VSCO itself is not a social media platform in the traditional sense, but users can search and view the photography of other members.
To create a free VSCO account, users are encouraged to enter a username, description of themselves and/ or their work, an external link to a website or social media profile, first and last name, and email address.
Users can save VSCO photos to their mobile devices, including other user photos, but the photo originator receives a notification anytime one of their photos is shared or saved from the platform.
Perhaps the best part of the VSCO app is that it allows users, and particularly self-conscious teens, to experiment with their photography without commentary or judgement; if teens wish to receive comments on their VSCO photos, they can easily share them to social media.
Is VSCO: Photo & Video Editor safe for my kids?
With visual media being so accessible for today’s kids, it’s only natural that they have the option to create and manipulate their media on mobile devices, and VSCO is just the app to do it.
VSCO’s mantra, “Because beautiful imagery trumps social clout,” the number of followers, comments and likes are absent from the platform; this should help put concerned parents’ minds at ease.
VSCO is an entirely visual platform and does not allow users to set their profiles to private. However, there is limited social interaction in the VSCO app, including no photo likes or comments, as the emphasis is solely on photography.
That being said, parents should know that VSCO is an app geared towards more serious photo enthusiasts, and it shows.
Because photos can be shared by anyone, parents may want to communicate their expectations, and remind their children that they should not post any photos to the VSCO platform that they wish to remain private, or any photos that may be able to identify them.
Parents should be aware that users need only a username and email to create an account, and they can discourage their children from using real names or linking social profiles that might serve to identify them on the platform.
While VSCO does not allow users to set their profiles to private, parents can take steps to ensure that their child’s privacy is protected. VSCO allows users to opt not to include location data in both the images they take or upload, as well as the images they share from the app.
Under the settings menu, parents may want to ensure that every box is checked not to share. For images being taken or edited in the app, users should check that image capture and import is marked so that location data is not included.
Additionally, for images being exported from the app, users may want to check that their VSCO profile, camera roll, email and networks are all checked to exclude location data.
The VSCO app is free to download and use, but parents should know that in-app purchases are available in the form of additional and more complex photo editing tools, and range from $2.99 to $6.99 to purchase.
As the app’s terms state that users must be 13+ to use, this app is best suited for responsible teens.
App Screens
Related Apps
Recommended for You
9 Screen Time Rules Every Family Needs
Screen Time Strategies
Stop Guessing About Screen Time for Kids – Use This Chart
Screen Time Strategies