Social Discovery and Friend-Making Apps: The Risks
Why apps designed to help people meet new friends pose particular risks for children, and what families need to know.
Overview
A growing category of apps specifically designed to connect strangers — sometimes called 'social discovery' or 'friend-making' apps — has become popular among young people. Apps like Yubo, Wizz, LMK, and Wink market themselves as platforms for making new friends, often using swipe-based interfaces similar to dating apps. While some include safety features, the fundamental design of connecting children with strangers introduces risks that parents need to understand.
What social discovery apps are
Social discovery apps are designed to connect users who do not already know each other. Unlike mainstream social media where you typically follow people you already know, these apps actively encourage meeting strangers. They often use location data, age, and interests to suggest matches. Some include live video features, allowing real-time face-to-face interaction with strangers. The swipe-based interface familiar from dating apps is common, and some apps explicitly market themselves as 'Tinder for teens'.
Social discovery apps are specifically designed to connect children with strangers, which is fundamentally different from mainstream social media.
Why children use them
Children — particularly those who feel lonely, socially anxious, or excluded at school — are drawn to the promise of easy new friendships. The apps feel exciting and grown-up, and the validation of being 'matched' with someone can be a powerful emotional experience. For LGBTQ+ young people, these apps may feel like the only way to find peers who understand their experience. The desire to connect is entirely healthy; the concern is the mechanism through which it happens.
Children who use these apps are usually seeking connection, not danger. Understanding their motivation is key to having a productive conversation.
The specific risks
The primary risk is direct contact with adults posing as young people. Age verification on these platforms is typically weak or non-existent. The NSPCC has reported cases of grooming originating on social discovery apps. Additional risks include: exposure to sexual content through live video features, location tracking that reveals where a child lives or goes to school, and pressure to share personal information or images early in a conversation to 'prove' friendship.
Weak age verification means adults can easily pose as young people on these platforms. Grooming cases have been directly linked to social discovery apps.
What to do if your child is using one
Avoid a panicked reaction that will shut down communication. Ask your child to show you the app and explain what they like about it. Discuss the risks calmly: 'The problem is not that you want to make friends — that is completely normal. The problem is that this app makes it very easy for adults to pretend to be your age.' Help them find safer alternatives for the social need the app is meeting. If they are lonely, address that root cause rather than just removing the app.
Address the underlying social need, not just the app. A child who loses a social discovery app but still feels lonely will find another one.
Practical Actions
- 1Check your child's phone for social discovery apps — common ones include Yubo, Wizz, LMK, Wink, and Hoop. Ask without judgment what they are for.
- 2If your child is seeking new friendships, help them find safer alternatives such as structured hobby groups, school clubs, or moderated online communities for their interests.
- 3Explain that anyone who asks them to move a conversation to a different platform, share personal details quickly, or keep the friendship secret is showing warning signs of grooming.
Sources
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.
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Last reviewed: 2026-03-15