Expressing ourselves and interacting online can be fun – but only if it’s safe for everyone 
The social networking platform Amino offers opportunities to exchange views on countless hobbies and interests … but its lack of age verification represents an obvious risk for younger users 
With inappropriate content, the possibility of messages from strangers and rewards for repeated daily usage front and centre among the potential dangers that parents and carers should know about, this week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide gives Amino the acid test.
A sprawling online discussion forum with incentives for checking in each day and the facility to follow certain users, Amino bears comparison to Reddit – but with an added sprinkle of Snapchat and a Twitter twist. It may not be radically original, but’s proving popular: there are now more than a million communities of fans exchanging views on topics from anime to zombies.
The concept is to recreate the passion and excitement of live conventions in the online world: from behind their screens and keyboards, however, not everyone behaves as well as they might in person. From hurtful comments to age-inappropriate images and predatory messaging, our #WakeUpWednesday guide highlights some potential hazards to protect young users from.
