Gaurav Rathore
His write-ups blend creativity, personal experience, and tailored technical advice, meeting reader needs effectively.
Dating platforms have always been the favorites of teens and kids alike, and Tagged is one of them.
Contrary to that, the parents don’t think so highly of this problematic app that has been a topic of discussion for many crime investigators. A NY attorney has also warned the parents about Tagged and called it ‘the worst social networking site ever encountered.’
Keeping in mind these differing opinions of both the teens and the parents, I’ve decided to uncover the real truth of this app. So, let’s jump straight in and find out whether it’s truly safe for your child!
Quick Answer:
Tagged is a dating social media platform that allows users to meet new people, get potential matches, get dates, play games, and talk online.
Tagged.com is a free-to-use dating service, aka, a social media platform where users can meet like-minded people, browse profiles, match with singles, meet dates, connect with friends through live streaming, and share tags and virtual gifts.
Originally, this service was available for users under 18, but after being followed by various controversies and criticism, the app revoked this rule, and it became limited to only 18+ users.
It was founded in 2004 by a group of entrepreneurs looking to create the next Yahoo. However, now it’s owned by the Meet Group and has over 300 million users. It is easily available for Android and iOS users, and it even works on the web.
Why is Tagged so Popular?
The main reason why people like Tagged is that it’s free and doesn’t require much effort to meet new people. It lets users explore potential matches through games, shared interests, friend suggestions, browsing profiles, etc.
Before you get started with Tagged, first, you need to install the app on your phone and sign up using your Facebook or Google account or via email. Then, you can create your profile as you do on any other social media platform.
After you are done creating an account, you can easily add photos, share videos, make friends, and join groups.
You can use the browse function to explore users other than your friends and contact them using the message button. There is a Meet Me feature that lets you explore potential matches based on location, age, interests, and hobbies.
Unlike other SMPs, this app also allows you to play interesting games, like Mafia Wars, poker games, etc.
Considering the age rating on the Google Play Store (18+) and the Apple Store (17+), there is no good reason why your kids should be hanging around the app.
Apart from that, the app offers heavy ad presentations, features questionable content, and poses numerous safety risks to innocent kids. Not only that, the tagline: “Bored AF? (as f-ck) Watch Tagged Live!” alone serves as a walking red flag.
Although the app claims to restrict lewd behavior and obscene imagery, it unsurprisingly has plenty of scantily dressed people roaming around and indulging in substance-related cases and explicit chatting.
Hence, I recommend that kids under 18 abstain from using the Tagged app at any cost.
Apart from being a dating app (which is usually a main concern for parents), this app also poses various concerns about the child’s safety. Here, I’ve listed those risks so that the parents can develop actionable measures accordingly.
According to the privacy settings on Tagged, the user’s profile is set to public by default, meaning anyone on the app can access your child’s personal moments and information easily.
As your child meets with or talks with new people, there is a chance that they might encounter some online predators on the app who may be disguising themselves as peers.
Using the app messaging feature, anyone can message your child and send explicit content, putting your kids in a situation that might ruin their childhood for good and all.
This notorious app has been involved in various controversies and crimes, like sexual assaults, child trafficking, robberies, etc.
If your child is already using the app, you can’t be too forceful while confronting them or asking them to stop using it. Hence, I recommend you establish some rules and follow the effective measures I’ve listed below.
If you want to prevent unwanted users from reaching your kids, switch the privacy settings to the Friends Only option.
Explain to your kids how this app baits little kids who have no experience navigating the atrocities of the internet. If your kids tend to be skeptical of the dangers, I recommend you show them the statistics.
If your kids want to use this app, you must establish some rules and teach them preventive measures, like what to post, what to share, and how to report or block certain accounts.
If you want more control over your child’s activity on this dating app, install third-party parental control apps on your child’s smartphone.
The tagged app is a hub for various crimes and online predators, although the website claims to be the opposite. Thus, I would recommend that you keep your child away from this site until they are mature enough to face the uncertainties of the app head-on.
However, if your kids are firm about using the dating app, I suggest you use the tips mentioned above to keep your kids off the hook.
Yes, Tagged is also known as a hookup app that allows users to meet new people, match with singles, meet dates, and connect with friends through live streaming.
The user must be 18 or older to be a member of Tagged.
No, a 12-year-old child can’t use tagged because of the app’s guidelines and privacy policy.
