Sometimes, I just think about all the social media appendages that have come forth within a year or so. A few years back, there were just a few apps like WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, but now, there are around 18 different apps and online social communities that have more than 100 million users, with some of them even having more than a billion registered users.
Our kids are turning to social media for everything. The mesmerising media rich content of famous apps and sites like Vine and YouTube are easily able to hold users for hours. This consuming drive has encouraged many new apps to hit the market, and Dubsmash is just another app that’s an absolute success amongst kids, teens and celebrities.
Dubsmash—what exactly is it about?
Dubsmash is an app that’s available for download on iOS and Android devices. This app is an amalgamation of popular social media apps like Instagram, Vine, Snapchat etc., and was created by a bunch of developers from Germany.
This app combines the art of lip synching with short videos from tons of genres.
Released in Nov, 2014, Dubsmash allows users to create short and silly dubbed videos to others using lip synching original soundtracks. You can get to choose from albums, movies, operas, TV shows, and more.
These videos are of 10 seconds only, during which users try to create funny pieces which they can share on other forums.
The app has never been recognised for serious communication. And that’s why the app is very popular amongst teens and celebrities like Jimmy Fallon, Hugh Jackman, Garry Shandling, Penelope Cruz, Cara Delevingne, Kevin Hart and Rihanna. Jackman was also seen dubsmashing on popular cartoon show Adventure.
The possibilities with this app are endless and that’s what makes it commendable. There are millions of video bytes that users can choose from, according to the region they are living in. If you don’t like a video, you can recreate it. To make a Dubsmash, you can either use the app or the website.
Dubsmash—who are the users?
The app is quickly trending amongst kids all around the world. Consider these statistical figures:
- Dubsmash has 75 million downloads till now.
- The app has hit the top charts on iOS App Store in 78 countries.
- The app was also ranked amongst The top 10 on the iOS App store in 118 different countries.
- On the Play Store, the app has been ranked number 1 in 75 countries.
- The terms of use of this app clearly states that the app is to be used only by individuals who are are 14 years or above.
Why teens need to be careful using Dubsmash?
By now, you might be thinking that Dubsmash is a silly app and it’s not a big deal if your child wants to use it. This lighthearted app does have a few grey areas that parents should consider before allowing their kids to jump right away onto Dubsmash wagon.
For one, the app has a very absorbing nature that can cause your child to stay up all night. Due to its addictive nature, kids can spend hours on sifting through the audio clips gallery to produce something really funny. This is particularly bad for their health, sleep and school work. Lack of sleep is a common phenomenon amongst 90 percent of the teens in U.S., but that doesn’t mean it’s alright for your child to be sleep deprived.
Beside groggy kids, many video sections contains explicit content that may be inappropriate for your child’s age. The use of filthy words and quotes is very common on this app, because of the popular raunchy comedy that’s prevalent around us.
The whole app is about unregulated and explicit content that’s a hotbed of bad language and sexual innuendos. Though, you can report inappropriate content, but who really does that? Not many.
The most tricky part about Dubsmash Is its copyright issue. It’s generally believed that Dubsmash audio clips aren’t breaching the laws, but in reality, all those clips are not the intellectual property of Dubsmash. So if a child only shares a recorded Dubsmash with their friends on a private chat, it stays with the limits of the law, but if it’s shared on a public social media platform, it’s illegal. However, I have never seen anyone facing any charges for this, but it’s good to be on the safer side.
The app can really help our kids bring out their creative energies, but at the same time, care should be taken with the copyrights and explicit content. Tell your kids not to share their Dubsmash videos on social media platforms. Also, encourage your kids to stay away from using explicit language.
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