The danger of live streaming apps is something that parents can no longer afford to ignore. People are increasingly wanting to share their life and experiences in real time and they are rapidly gaining in popularity.

Whilst the appeal of these apps may be difficult for parents of a different generation to understand, they are in fact incredibly appealing for kids of all ages. Just go onto any of these apps and you can see kids as young as 6 or 7 broadcasting what they are doing in their bedrooms, with these same kids are also freely giving out their social media details for random people to connect with them.

It's also extremely common to see young children in their school uniforms – something which may seem innocent at first glance, but actually gives potential online predators even more information about where the kids live.

 Tim Levy, Managing Director at Family Zone explains the danger:

 “Live streaming is the new big thing and its rapid adoption by kids, broadcasting live from their bedrooms and bathrooms is shocking us all here at Family Zone. Live streaming is a magnet for cyber predators, a magnifying glass for insecurities and a breeding ground for bullies. This is now a clear and present danger at homes across Australia and parents need to take stock.”

Comments on these apps can be brutal, as users hide behind fake profiles, which paves a very easy path to intense cyber-bullying. Many users also actively encourage sexualisation of young children, with one young teenager promising to take off his clothes if he reached 500,000 likes.

David and Katie Kobler from Protect Our Kids describe how important it is that parents take responsibility for being informed of the dangers: “As parents, we would like to believe that we get to decide on the people who enter our homes. These apps have taken away these rights for many parents. Children as young as 5 or 6 can be entertaining strangers in their bedroom while parents are completely unaware. We must stay informed; our children deserve protection."

In the last three months alone, over 1.1 million people (including children) downloaded the four most popular live streaming apps in Australia. We’ve investigated these four apps and the risks posed to children from them are extremely disturbing.  

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