There is a new up and coming social platform that kids are downloading and using right now. The app is called Houseparty and is used as a group video chat platform.

To give you a brief history of the app, it started out as the live video streaming app Meerkat. Back in the day when live video streaming was just getting started, Meerkat and Periscope dominated the space. Once Twitter purchased Periscope and Facebook and Instagram both incorporated live streaming into their platforms, there was really nowhere left for Meerkat to go.  The company then shifted focus and turned the app into Houseparty.

What is Houseparty like to use?

As I mentioned earlier, Houseparty is a very basic group video chat application. The idea is that unlike apps like FaceTime, you can chat with up to 8 people all at once. Which, as an adult just sounds overwhelming. I’ve been in online conference calls. With 8 people trying to talk at once, it can get really confusing. The kids seem to really like the way this works though and are downloading it in droves.

To add friends to Houseparty you can search for them within the app by name, add from your contacts, Facebook and Snapchat, or you can even add friends who are just nearby. One thing that I like about the add nearby function is that both users need to be inside “add nearby” for them to show up. I like that it just doesn’t scan all of the Houseparty users within a certain radius.

Once you and your friend are online, you can open a chat with the person and invite more people to join. When your conversation is complete you can close the party and join a new one, or leave the app. There is also now a Mac version, so you can chat with people from your desktop as well as inside the app.

What should parents watch out for?

Uninvited Guests

The default for any given “party” is unlocked. So anyone can join the party you created. However, if you click the unlocked padlock icon in the bottom left corner of your screen it will lock the room so only people who have been invited can join your party.

Recordings Are Not Saved

Since Houseparty is all about having a live conversation, the history of the chats is not saved anywhere. This can make it difficult for parents looking to check up on their kids. I always have to remind myself though, when I encounter things I can’t check up on with my kids, that when I was a kid I would be in my room talking on the phone for HOURS. Those conversations were never monitored, so this app is essentially the same thing.

Notes Passed ARE Saved

You can “pass notes” to other users which acts like a basic instant messenger. The notes are saved, and there is currently no way to delete a sent note. This can be good for parents, but make sure your child knows that they should never write something in a note that they might regret later, since they won’t be able to remove it.

Hidden Bullying

I’m not even really sure if bullying is the right word, but there are settings within the app that allow you to “ghost” people, meaning they will not be notified when you are using the app. You can also turn off notifications from certain users on when they have come online and are using the app. It just seems like a really easy way for people to get left out.

Final Thoughts

Houseparty seems like a great way for a group of friends to stay in touch. There are certainly things that parents should be concerned with inside the app, but nothing that truly sets off major red flag warnings for me. Honestly, as annoying as group chats are, I don’t expect the popularity of the app to continue for very long.