Gowalla
GOWALLA
|
MINIMUM AGE: 13+
WHAT IS IT? GoWalla is a location-based social networking app where users “check in” to real-world places, discover spots nearby, and share their experiences through photos, stickers, and short posts. It has a strong focus on location sharing and exploration. Users can follow others, view public check-ins, and build a virtual travel log of where they’ve been. WHAT WE SAY: Treat with caution. 🔞 Exposure to Inappropriate Content While GoWalla isn’t built for sharing explicit content, users may still encounter:
🔐 Privacy Concerns GoWalla is built around location sharing. When users check in to a place, it shows their friends where they were and when, and adds it to a public feed visible to friends. Although check-ins are not visible to the general public, they can still reveal sensitive patterns such as a user’s school, home, or daily habits. There is currently no way to fully disable location sharing from within the app—users must turn off location access in their phone’s settings to stop it entirely. 📱 Cyberbullying and Harassment While GoWalla doesn’t currently include direct messaging, users can still interact through check-ins, reactions, and comments. This leaves room for social exclusion, peer pressure, and judgment. 🧑💻 Online Predators & Grooming The app’s location-based nature can pose a risk if used without caution. Strangers may attempt to add users through mutual friends or by searching usernames. Once connected, a predator could use location history to track movements, build trust, or influence a child’s decisions about where to go. While phone numbers are not shared, friend discovery through contacts and usernames means children can still be targeted. |
🛡️SAFETY TIPS:
📲Understand the platform: Familiarise yourself with the apps features and how they work. Knowing how the app works will help you guide your child effectively. 👨👧Parental supervision: Check their interactions and adjust privacy settings accordingly. Try to stay up-to-date on Internet trends and best practices. 📢Underage Accounts: Bunch might have an age restriction but it lacks a proper age verification process. Therefore, there’s little stopping users from faking their dates of birth or creating bogus profiles and targeting children and young people. 📷 Cover the Webcam When Not in Use Physically cover your camera when you're not ready to go live. Always be mindful of what’s visible in your background—it can reveal location clues. 🧠 Trust Your Instincts If something feels uncomfortable, it is uncomfortable. Leave the chat immediately and don’t engage with users who seem suspicious, aggressive, or inappropriate. 🖥️ Place Devices in Shared Spaces Keep internet-connected devices in living rooms or kitchens, not bedrooms. This makes risky behavior less likely and easier to notice. 🙋♀️Conversations: Have open discussions with children and young people about the topics associated with online use - bullying, grooming, sexual and criminal exploitation, body image, as well as accessing support and how to report. 🚨 Know the Signs of Trouble Watch for behaviour changes—like anxiety, secrecy, mood swings, or suddenly deleting apps. These can signal something inappropriate happened online. 💬Conversations: Have open discussions with children and young people about the topics associated with online use - bullying, grooming, sexual and criminal exploitation, body image, as well as accessing support and how to report. FURTHER SUPPORT: For parents/ carers If you're worried about your child or need support call NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. If you discover criminal content when online then report it directly to the police or the Internet Watch Foundation. If you're worried about online grooming or sexual behaviour online then report directly to the police or contact CEOP. For Children & young people if they're worried or want to talk, encourage them to contact Childline Online or call 0800 1111. Check out our Resource Centre for further information and useful online safety tips. FURTHER SUPPORT: For parents/ carers If you're worried about your child or need support call NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. If you discover criminal content when online then report it directly to the police or the Internet Watch Foundation. If you're worried about online grooming or sexual behaviour online then report directly to the police or contact CEOP. For Children & young people if they're worried or want to talk, encourage them to contact Childline Online or call 0800 1111. Check out our Resource Centre for further information and useful online safety tips. 
|
