South Carolina Kids Targeted By Predators on This Group Chat App

According to a study by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 59% of children targeted by online predators are 15 years old or younger, with most predators utilizing social media, messaging, and gaming apps to connect with their victims. These findings highlight the importance of parents and guardians closely monitoring their children's online activities across all platforms, including GroupMe.

GroupMe, a widely used group messaging app, helps connect friends, families, and teams. However, issues have arisen about uninvited group joiners, especially in groups with minors. Activating the "Members Must Be Approved" option is a valuable step in improving group safety.

A Personal Encounter With Unwanted Join Requests

"As a volleyball coach, I use GroupMe to communicate with my team of teenage girls. I initially set up our group chat with the default “Anyone Can Join” setting, assuming it would simplify communication. However, I quickly noticed a disturbing trend. Almost every week, a new join request would appear—almost always with a man’s name attached. At first, I thought it might be a mistake or someone trying to join the wrong group. But the frequency of these requests raised red flags, especially since the group clearly involved young girls. It became evident that this wasn’t a coincidence but a potential security issue. Now, I always make sure the app is set to 'user must be approved by me before joining the chat.' I also noticed the random users would try to join the parent groupchat. Imagine if these suspicious people got the info of where my team was playing. Please make sure to secure your GroupChats.

-Coach J, ISVB

Understanding the Risks

GroupMe provides an easy way to communicate in groups, but it does not include standard parental controls, which can create risks for younger users. Without content filtering and with the possibility of strangers joining groups without prior approval, children may be exposed to unsuitable content or interactions.

Implementing Approval Settings

To mitigate these risks, group administrators can adjust settings to require approval for new members:

1. Access Group Settings: In your group chat, select the group's avatar (profile picture), then select "Settings."
2. Modify Privacy Settings: Under the "Privacy" section, select "Who can join?" and choose "Approved members only." This setting ensures that any new member requests must receive admin approval before joining the group.
3. Optional - Add a Join Question: For an additional layer of security, you can set a custom question that potential members must answer before their request is considered.

Additional Safety Measures

• Monitor Group Membership: Regularly review group members to ensure all participants are known and authorized.
• Educate Participants: Inform group members, especially minors, about the importance of not engaging with unknown individuals online.
• Report Suspicious Activity: Utilize GroupMe's reporting features to flag any inappropriate behavior or unsolicited contact attempts.

By proactively managing group settings and educating participants, administrators can create a safer online environment for all members, particularly vulnerable youth.

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