Every few months a new mobile app surfaces on the social landscape that quickly catches on. And, yes, parent—you need to be aware of what the app looks like, how it works, and how your teen may be using or even misusing it.
The latest red flag app that has already been linked to cyberbullying incidents is called Burnbook. Go look for it on your child’s phone. It’s the purple lips app (see app graphic, right) and is quickly catching on as the latest, greatest way to poke fun (and hate) at others via anonymous accounts.
The app is simple. Users can create anonymous accounts on their smart phones, check off their high school (which is listed by name via a geo locator) and proceed to post anything from “jokes, fails, wins, sightings, shout outs, revelations, proclamations, and confessions,” as the app description encourages. The Burnbook community can then decide through votes and comments what posts…
