Tinder itself finally banned kids from its own platform in the middle of 2016 after enough outcry, though there are limited checks in place to actually enforce it. The app requires a Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) connection now to create an account and verify one’s age, but Facebook accounts themselves are easy enough to create under any age, making the extra layer of verification somewhat superficial. It’s believed that there are still plenty of kids on Tinder pretending to be adults and either hooking up with other kids also pretending to be adults, or actual adults.
With eMarketer estimating that smartphone penetration among U.S teens aged 12-17 has reached 74.2% as of early-2016, the issue is a concern to most every parent. Rather than relying solely on parents to monitor their children or set parental restrictions on their phones, or app developers to do the right thing, a greater onus needs to be on Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) to police their app stores and ensure that children don’t have access to apps that could put them at risk from sexual predators or from engaging in other risque activity that could haunt them personally and professionally in the years to come.
As these dating apps, which many young people view as nothing but sex hook-up apps, continue to proliferate, the resulting mess could result in a huge publicity problem for Apple and Alphabet, one that dwarfs what Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) recently faced with its fake news scandal.
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Head to the final section for a list of some the most outrageous sex apps in Apple and Android app stores.
