08/11/2023
https://www.facebook.com/100064594812876/posts/669227828573705/?mibextid=cr9u03
PARENTS- There is an app which has exploded in popularity, it’s called Saturn. It is a scheduling app in which you upload your class schedule, and it tells you all the students in your class. Neat concept, right?
Upon launching Saturn, you are asked to provide a phone number as your login ID, you can also log in with a School email address or a Snapchat account. You are then prompted to enter your birthday and select a graduation year. (The app was originally intended for High School students) once you login you are able to join ANY school in the country.
The app indicates you need to verify you are a student (using a school email) to see the schedules of the other students, but you are able to input a bogus schedule (choosing from a list of teachers the app provided) and see the students in any class. You can even see athletic team rosters. It is not unreasonable to think that a predator or intruder could compile a full schedule for any student in the app without ever having to fully log in.
But the reality is, even if the app did require an official login, it's still allowing anyone in the school to see a student’s schedule- a bully, a stalker, an unwanted admirer, etc.
But the app doesn’t stop there. Each student’s profile allows them to upload a photo, a description of themselves and add links to their Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Venmo, or any website they choose. You are also able to click student links and watch reels in the Saturn app- thus gaining more information.
There is also a Direct Message feature available for private discussions, which is unlocked once you verify yourself using a school email address. So, anyone who has logged in, can now DM your student.
Another "feature" is a Bulletin board where students can post school events. The app gives the location, date, time, and (thanks to the social nature of the app) a list of all the students (and their profile pictures) who will be attending.
There is no requirement to verify who is on the app at all.
Please talk to your kids, let’s keep our kids safe.
https://tinybeans.com/saturn-app-privacy-issues/amp/
