My daughter today sent me a request to download the Wishbone app today and I hesitated. She has to get my approval before adding anything to her phone. While I try not to decline too often, I knew this was one I needed to research.
After some quick research, my answer at this time is no. Here are some reasons why.
1) Many apps take monitoring beyond the safeguards we already have installed. This takes extra time for me so I limit the number I’m going to have to pay special attention to.
2) Just like in my life, the more apps on a phone often indicate the amount time spent in screenworld.
3) This app focuses a lot on appearance since it compares two things. Many of the teens in my counseling office struggle with anxiety and depression. When we look at negative thinking, most teen girls’ critical thoughts are centered around appearance. Kids today don’t have a lot of downtime.
Below are links to two resources I consulted that I use often when making decisions regarding app approval.
https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/expert-opinion/wishbone-app-parents-need-know/
https://protectyoungeyes.com/content/wishbone-app-safe-for-kids/
