Saturn App Targets School Children – Seems Innocent Enough But It’s Really Social Media With Dubious Privacy

August 11, 2023 – Concerned parents around the country are pointing fingers at the latest social media app named Saturn. It’s is posing as a ‘Social Calendar’ and a replacement for a paper calendar, but it provides who more information to users, and does not effectively prevent non-students from creating accounts and accessing other’s information.

By itself the class information, school sports rosters, pictures, classrooms and student names should be harmless. But this information could be used to stalk a student or through a fake social media account, convince a student that a confederate was actually a classmate.

“Each student’s profile allows them to upload a photo, a description of themselves (which some did) and add links to their Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Venmo, or any website they choose. I was able to click the student’s links and watch some reels right there in the Saturn app- thus gaining more information about them. 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. Taking this a step further, I realized I could change my profile name, even if it matched another student in the app. What would stop me from cyber-bullying using another student’s name?”

Currently it appears to be an iPhone only app. The App Store says it’s ranked #2 in social networking.