Tellonym app: what parents should know

Tellonym is another app doing the rounds, part of a growing list of anonymous question and answer feedback apps. 

Tellonym has been around since 2016 and has over 13 million users worldwide and seems to be gaining more traction here in Australia. 

When educating parents about the new apps making their way onto the devices of young people, I always stress that it is not simply the app itself that makes something dangerous, but it’s the behaviour of those using the app that determines its safety and whether one’s experiences on the app are positive. 

But there are some types of apps that I find more problematic based on their very nature. Anonymous question and answer apps such as Tellonym are on the ‘dodgier side’ for me. Apps that have users ask for feedback on themselves by anonymous members of society are certainly asking for trouble. And whilst some can see it for what it is and not get caught up in any negativity, many users are not so clear on the impact of allowing anonymous users to have an input into their lives or play a role in determining their sense of self worth.