Best Dating Apps for Under 18 – Safe and Teen-Friendly Platforms
Are there any dating apps for under 18? It is 2024 and there are plenty of dating sites available where people can meet, talk and find a partner. Most of these dating sites, especially the popular ones like Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, OkCupid have an age restriction, i.e. only adults above the age 18 years and above can make use of it.
How do dating sites work?
Are there any dating apps for under 18 and how do they work? Dating Sites help people meet others who are looking forward to dating or making new friends. When you create your profile you fill out information like your interests, hobbies, passion and maybe occupation. It is also mandatory for you to put up your pictures. Once you sign up, these sites or apps show you other people with similar interests. You can check out profiles, send messages and if they like you back you can chat with them and maybe even decide to meet up.
On some of these sites, you can set an age limit of the partner you are looking for. For instance, someone who is 25 can set the age bar 23 years old to 27 years old. This way they will only find people who are 23, 24,25,26 and 27 years old. Some dating sites let you search different criterias while others use algorithms for showing matches.
Are there any Dating Apps For Under 18?
Coming back to our question, are there any dating apps for under 18 or not? There are hundreds of dating sites for adults but only a few for younger teens who are under the age of 18 years old. However, these sites have to emphasize on safety more than the usual dating sites. Also, instead of traditional dating, they encourage on fostering friendships by providing features like video streams, group chats and other interactive activities. Following are three teen apps:
- MyLol
- Yubo
- MeetMe
MyLol
Objective
It allows teens around the world to make friends with similar interests and engage in interesting one to one or group conversations. While some kids might use it for dating, its primary focus is encouraging friendships.
MyLol was founded by Terry Wheeler in 2007. The headquarters are based in Burbank, California, United States.
Age Limit
MyLol is an app for teenagers who are 13 to 19 years old.
Key Features
- Making a Profile: Teens can create their profile, add their name, pictures, write their interests and hobbies.
- Messaging: You can send messages to other kids and chat one to one.
- Browse Profiles: You can check out profiles of others based on selected criterias like age, interests and people who live near you aka location.
- Group Conversations: MyLol has forums where users can talk about specific interests.
- Friend Requests: You can send as well as receive requests in order to connect with new people.
- Privacy and Security: You can chose to now show your location and block as well as report any users that feel inappropriate to you.
How To Use
You can sign up by filling out your basic details like name, age and a picture or pictures. The next step is to create a profile by adding your interests, hobbies, interests, passion and what you are looking for in people you want to meet through this app. Once you sign up, you can start using the app i.e. browse profiles and chat with others one to one or in a group. The more you engage in conversations and browse through profiles, the more you will be able to find what you are looking for.
Safety and Security
MyLol tries to monitor the app for security reasons and gives the users an option to block and report any inappropriate behavior that makes them uncomfortable. However, kids using the app can stay cautious by not sharing their home address, cell number or any other personal information. It is advised for parents to get involved and make sure that their kids are using the app safely.
Yubo
Objective
Yubo is a social networking platform based in france where young people can make friends. It is not specifically a dating app, although it might be used by some individuals in that manner. The app focuses on making new people connect with each other through chatting, joining live streams and engaging in group activities.
Yubo was founded in 2015 by french engineering students and its headquarters are in Paris, France.
Age Limit
In order to join Yubo, you must be at least 13 years old and not more than 25 years old. It aims at providing a safe environment for individuals that sign up.
Key Features
- Create Profile: Individuals can make a profile with their name, pictures and specific interests.
- Live Streaming: There is an option on Yubo for you to broadcast live videos and connect with others at the same time. You can stream privately as well as publicly.
- Messaging: The app allows chatting privately with others as well as in a group.
- Discover and meet new people: You can browse through profiles and connect with people based on criterias.
- Block and Report Feature: You can choose to block and report any other user for inappropriate behavior.
- Paid Features: Yubo can be downloaded and used for free but users can purchase subscriptions and enjoy additional bonus features as well.
How to Use
You can download the app on your cell and sign up with either your email or phone number.
However, it can not be used on a computer. Add photos and details about yourself that you want others to know about you. Once you are all signed up, you can browse through profiles, swipe to find friends and chat with others. You can also start live streaming to connect with others in real time and engage in group chats.
Safety and Security
You can take precautions by adjusting your privacy settings to control which of your contacts can see you on the app. You can report and block other users for inappropriate behavior that makes you uncomfortable. You should avoid sharing personal information like phone number, address and school name. Parents are encouraged to monitor the kids’ activities on the app to ensure safety.
The app also requires users to verify their age. The team tries to remove any adulterated content and inappropriate material that violates the guidelines of Yubo. Yubo also gives an option of private and public streaming, which allows users to control who all can see them. These steps help create a safe online environment for individuals using the app.
MeetMe
Objective
Main goal of this social networking app is to help people explore new friends as well as romantic partners. You can talk i.e messaging, play games and meet others with common interests.
MeetMe was founded in 2005 by Catherine Cook. The headquarters lie in New Hope, Pennsylvania, USA.
Age Limit
You have to be at least 13 years old to have access to the app. However, the app does not specify a maximum age limit for any user.
Key Features
MeetMe is free to download as well as use. However, there is also a premium service provided by the app referred to as “MeetMe VIP”. The additional features provided by the app with this VIP service are:
- Advertisement Free: You can enjoy the app smoothly by suppressing ads.
- Better Visibility: Premium users can get noticed more by their potential matches.
- Unlimited messaging: Free users have a restriction on the number of messages they can send but the premium users can send unlimited messages.
- Photo Viewing: You can see who viewed your profile when you purchase the VIP service.
- Customisation: You get additional customizing options with the premium service, for example, unique profile layouts.
How to Use
Download the app on your phone and sign up using your email. Then, create a profile by adding your pictures and details you want others to know about you. Then, you are all set to use the app, browse other people’s profiles, chat, start and join live streams and play games to have fun.
Safety and Security
The app requires age verification when signing up. The app also monitors profiles to remove any inappropriate content. Users can report and block others if there is a case of harassment or they make them feel uncomfortable. There are privacy settings that can be used by individuals to control who all can see their profile and connect with them. MeetMe also provides guidelines to help carry out conversations safely. The community guidelines discourage harmful behavior and promote respectful interactions only.
Read Also: Self Preservation 5 Dating Apps
Conclusion:
In conclusion, when considering dating apps for under 18, it’s essential to choose platforms that prioritize safety through features like age verification, profile monitoring, reporting options, privacy settings, community guidelines, parental controls, and educational resources. By leveraging these safety features, teens can enjoy a more secure online dating experience while exploring new connections responsibly.
