HOLLA: live random video chat

If sex traffickers and online predators described the perfect social media app, this would be it. This app flies in the face of parents' "stranger danger" philosophy, encouraging users to expose their names, faces, age, and location to strangers around the world. The invasion of privacy begins immediately with the app demanding access to your phone number or Facebook account and goes on to throw you – without warning – into Live video chat with a random stranger. While that could be mildly embarrassing and somewhat risky for an adult, it's downright dangerous for kids. In addition to adults making inappropriate connections to kids, app store user reviews report adult males exposing themselves and engaging in sexual activities during video chat.

A hair less risky than Live mode is the app's "Nearby" chat mode, which at least lets you preview chat matches before going live with them. Still, the app's matchmaking function appears to be utterly random. Its so-called filters do nothing and return matches of all ages and genders no matter what how they're set. (Presumably, they're only effective if you pay for Prime membership?) And though the app's Terms state it's meant for users older than thirteen, its app store rating is 17+ and the app contains no method of age verification or parental controls. Without question, HOLLA: Live Random Video Chat is your average parent's nightmare; an app that not only encourages kids to talk to strangers, but exponentially magnifies the number of strangers they encounter -- and insures they're nearby.