Saturn App?
I saw an app on my kids phone (he's in HS) called Saturn - have any of you heard of it? She said it's for her school work, but when I googled it I found conflicting info and multiple apps called Saturn.
Hey there! Thanks so much for asking this question and for sharing so other parents who might have similar concerns can also learn more here.
The Saturn App is super popular with high school students for managing their calendars, but it’s also raised some red flags with parents and school boards due to privacy issues. While Saturn has tried to fix some of the bigger concerns, there are still a few things to keep in mind:
- No parental oversight
Saturn doesn’t offer any parental controls, so there’s no way for adults to monitor what their kids are doing on the app. Students could potentially use it for things it wasn’t meant for, like organizing unsupervised events or sharing inappropriate content. Even worse, they might come into contact with bullies, scammers, or predators. One teacher left a review saying even they don’t have access to the app, which means no adult supervision at all. 😬 - Weak verification process
Saturn uses email verification to limit access to students with official school email addresses, but there’s a risk that unauthorized users could sneak in by using someone else’s email or school info. This could lead to strangers viewing schedules or contacting kids. - Cyberbullying and harassment
Some experts have raised concerns that students can use Saturn to easily message and bully their classmates. While the app has rules in place to prevent this, it’s tough to monitor in real-time, and kids who are bullied may feel stuck or unsure how to handle it. - Privacy and data worries
Saturn collects data on student schedules and activities, but it’s not totally clear how that information is protected. This lack of transparency can be a red flag when it comes to privacy and potential data leaks.
I know all of this might sound overwhelming, but here are some tips to help make Saturn safer for your teen:
- Keep their schedule private
Make sure your teen’s class schedule isn’t publicly visible to avoid unwanted attention. - Talk about friend requests
Saturn isn’t like other social apps, so accepting random friend requests could expose your teen’s info to the wrong people. Encourage them to stick to adding people they know. - Skip connecting Snapchat
Saturn promotes linking Snapchat accounts, but doing so could make it easier for bullies or predators to target your teen.
I hope this helps! Keep the great questions coming—happy to help anytime! 😊
- No parental oversight