Student Well-Being

Yubo and Other Social Apps Popular With Kids: Facts and Cautions for Educators

By Alyson Klein — June 06, 2022 2 min read
Photograph of teenage boy with smartphone.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The Uvalde shooter threatened to rape and kidnap kids he connected with on Yubo, a social media app nicknamed “Tinder for teens.” He shared disturbing images—dead cats, guns—and texted at least one girl he met on the platform about his plans to shoot up an elementary school.

Unlike some social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat, Yubo isn’t a household name. But the platform—and similar apps that allow teens to video-chat with strangers—are becoming increasingly popular.

Here’s what educators should know about Yubo and similar social networking platforms.

About the app

Feature: Yubo allows users to create a profile, share their location, and check out images of people in their area and around the world. They can jump in on livestreams, or peruse profiles, swiping right on those they like, and swiping left on those they don’t, just like adults do on the Tinder dating app. Users who “like” each other can communicate directly, on streaming video.

Caution: Yubo’s user base has grown from 40 million in 2020 to 60 million in 2022. Ninety-nine percent of those users are between the ages of 13 and 25, according to TechCrunch, which reports on technology and startups. That large user base—and the fact that Yubo has competitors—means that an increasing number of kids are exposed to the platform and others like it. What’s more, anonymous viewers can comment on and even record live-streamers, the organization found.

Feature: Yubo bills itself as a way for kids to make friends all over the world based on their interests.

Caution: Since the platform works like Tinder, kids are often judging potential friends primarily on their appearances. Conversation can become sexualized and even graphic, according to a 2018 review of the platform by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that examines the impact of technology on young people. “It was easy to find substance use, profanity, racial slurs, and scantily clad people,” the nonprofit’s review said. Livestreams showed teens “smoking marijuana, using racial slurs, and talking about graphic sex.” Yubo did not respond to EdWeek inquiries about the content on its app.

Feature: Yubo is marketed to teenagers and young adults. Users must be at least 13 years old to engage on the platform.

Caution: This platform is not for kids, Common Sense Media says. In fact, the nonprofit recommends individuals be at least 17 before they consider using the app. As Common Sense Media’s review found, content featuring risky behavior and inappropriate is easy to find on the app. What’s more, anonymous viewers can comment on and even record live-streamers, the organization found.

See also

young hands with mobile phone
Prudencio Alvarez/iStock<br/>

How can adults help kids who encounter scary behavior online?

Make it clear that sexual harassment, violent threats, and cruel insults may be common on the internet, but that doesn’t make such behavior acceptable. In fact, it should be immediately reported to the app, said Erin Wilkey Oh, the content director for family and community engagement at Common Sense Media.

And teens should consider how the platform makes them feel. Teens should ask themselves, “does it feel like a supportive community, or does it feel toxic?” Wilkey Oh said.

Related Tags:

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Making Science Stick: The Engaging Power of Hands-On Learning
How can you make science class the highlight of your students’ day while
achieving learning outcomes? Find out in this session.
Content provided by LEGO Education
Teaching Profession Key Insights to Elevate and Inspire Today’s Teachers
Join this free half day virtual event to energize your teaching and cultivate a positive learning experience for students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Student Well-Being Q&A This School Counselor Has a Four-Legged Trick for Getting Tweens to Open Up
The 2025 School Counselor of the Year supports hundreds of middle schoolers with help from her therapy dog, Winston.
5 min read
Carmen Larson, 2025 School Counselor of the Year.
Carmen Larson, 2025 School Counselor of the Year.
Courtesy of the American School Counselor Association
Student Well-Being Opinion Generation Alpha Is Defined by Tragedy
Rising teens have direct digital access to unending pain, violence, and loss, writes Bettina L. Love.
3 min read
Digital art painting of girl looking at a glowing screen, acrylic on canvas texture, storytelling illustration
iStock/Getty Images + Education Week
Student Well-Being From Our Research Center Are Students Vaping More? Educators Think So
Teachers, principals, and district leaders are reporting an increase despite previous federal data showing teen vaping is declining.
3 min read
Student Well-Being Boys Want a Strong Relationship With Their Teachers. That Doesn't Always Happen
The key to inspiring boys in the classroom is a strong student-teacher relationship, experts say. Here's how to make it work.
7 min read
Jon Becker, upper school history and English teacher, has 9th grader Demetrios Karavedas stand on a chair and apologize for forgetting his book during their 9th grade English class at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland on Oct. 24, 2024 in Baltimore, Md.
Jon Becker, a history and English teacher at Boys' Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore, has 9th grader Demetrios Karavedas stand on a chair and apologize for forgetting his book on Oct. 24, 2024. Positive relationships with teachers matter for boys' academic motivation and success.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week