With the UK coronavirus lockdown now in its second week, many Brits have turned to technology to keep in touch with their friends.
In particular, the Houseparty app has skyrocketed in popularity, becoming the go-to video chat app for many bored Brits.
Houseparty allows you to video chat with your friends and family, as well as play games such as Heads Up and Trivia.
However, some Brits have fallen victim to one of Houseparty’s quirkiest features - the ability for anyone to join their friends chats, unless the chat has specifically been locked.
Several baffled users have taken to Twitter this week to share their Houseparty horror stories.
One user tweeted: “my mum waved at me on houseparty so i joined the chat and now i’m in a prayer group,” while another said: “Random people joined my Houseparty call & I told them my uncle died to get them to leave.”
Another joked: “My fav part of tonight was when Georgia’s mam joined our house party to tell Georgia her fajitas were ready.”
And one hilariously revealed: “Houseparty is wild. Just been in a chat and somebody joined who’s in HMP Brixton ????”
While the app is seen by most as harmless fun, UK charity Internet Matters has warned of the hidden dangers of the app, particularly for young users.
It explained: “Although the app is relatively secure as users can create ‘rooms’ and pick only specific names of the people to talk with, if a child doesn’t ‘lock’ their chat room and choose private settings, others can pop into the video chat.”
The content of the videos also isn’t screened, meaning there’s the possibility of inappropriate content appearing.
Internet Matters added: “The biggest risks are communicating with people children don’t know well, sexting, pictures and screenshots getting shared around, and spending too much time in virtual hangouts.”
Do you have a Houseparty horror story? Email us at shivali.best@reachplc.com
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