Texting

Numerous surveys show that Snapchat is one of the most used messaging apps by teens, but many parents have never used the app. In case you are not aware, Snapchat is an application for mobile devices, where photo and video messages disappear after they are viewed by the recipient. To help parents get up to speed on the app, USA Today has created a primer, or a Snapchat 101 for parents. The primer covers what the app is, what it does and why it is so popular. It also covers why many parents are concerned about this app (the disappearing content has been known to foster sexting and cyberbullying) and suggests ways to protect teens who use the app. If you find the article useful, you might also want to check out USA Today’s intro for parents to Musical.ly, an ultra addictive lip syncing app.

Have you received iMessages on your iPhone or iPad from your kids or other young people in your life and wonder how they add those special effects like confetti or balloons? Plenty of third-party apps are available for the major mobile platforms that allow you to add animations and other special effects to your text messages, but Apple includes some built-in tools in its iMessage app for iOS 10. While most of the special effects do not fully translate to Android or Windows-based phones, iMessages sent between iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users using the same software should be able to take full advantage of the animations, sound effects, stickers and other features included in the iOS 10 version. Need some step-by- step instructions? Try these.

Have you received iMessages on your iPhone or iPad from your kids or other young people in your life and wonder how they add those special effects like confetti or balloons? Plenty of third-party apps are available for the major mobile platforms that allow you to add animations and other special effects to your text messages, but Apple includes some built-in tools in its iMessage app for iOS 10. While most of the special effects do not fully translate to Android or Windows-based phones, iMessages sent between iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users using the same software should be able to take full advantage of the animations, sound effects, stickers and other features included in the iOS 10 version. Need some step-by- step instructions? Try these.

Ever wish you could unsend a text? unSend.it may be the solution! The app allows you to unsend, edit, and delete messages that have been sent, even if they were already opened by the recipient. The messages are completely encrypted, the recipients don’t need the app to receive your text, and you can download it for free.

Ever wish you could unsend a text? unSend.it may be the solution! The app allows you to unsend, edit, and delete messages that have been sent, even if they were already opened by the recipient. The messages are completely encrypted, the recipients don’t need the app to receive your text, and you can download it for free.

Experts say smartphones have an addictive nature that compels our brains to respond to notifications and alerts with a sense of immediacy, even when behind the wheel. Despite knowing better (a 2013 survey found that 98% of people say texting and driving is wrong), people still do it. Do you want to make a conscious effort to stop texting and driving? Check out Groove, a new program that sends a signal to your mobile phone provider, alerting it to hold all texts and social media updates while you are driving. It also prevents you from texting or posting on social media until your car is no longer moving.

Experts say smartphones have an addictive nature that compels our brains to respond to notifications and alerts with a sense of immediacy, even when behind the wheel. Despite knowing better (a 2013 survey found that 98% of people say texting and driving is wrong), people still do it. Do you want to make a conscious effort to stop texting and driving? Check out Groove, a new program that sends a signal to your mobile phone provider, alerting it to hold all texts and social media updates while you are driving. It also prevents you from texting or posting on social media until your car is no longer moving.

Chatbots are anticipated to be the next big thing, and it could be teens that drive the chatbot revolution. With 88% of mobile users spending their online time within just five apps, chatbots have become a way for companies to reach consumers, particularly the youngest users, through messaging apps that they are already using. About eight in ten of U.S. teens are using chat platforms and their heavy use of chat apps such as Facebook Messenger, Kik, WeChat, and WhatsApp? could make them the “early adopters of the faster, simpler, and more engaging messaging communication channels offered by conversational bots.” Kik, one of the most popular messaging apps for teens, has already launched about 6,000 new chatbots in the last month.

Recently, Facebook started rolling out a beta version of a new feature in their Messenger app that they're calling "secret conversations." Basically, it is end-to-end encrypted messaging that, in theory, doesn't allow anyone — not even Facebook — to intercept the messages. It's Facebook's attempt to compete with other messaging apps like WhatsApp, which provides a very high level of security and is attractive to global audiences, especially young people.

At first, the feature will only be available to a small percentage of users for testing, but everyone else should get it in the late summer or early fall. Of course, there's a catch: users will have to "opt-in" to the service, meaning for most people, Facebook will still be able to rifle through your info and deliver those personalized ads which sometimes come across as kind of creepy. It is also be interesting to see if these “secret conversations” play a part in cyberbullying and sexting.