Ask.fm
A guide for families with key information about ‘Ask.fm’, including the age rating, key terminology, risks and instructions for enabling parental controls and safety settings.
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Ask.fm is a free social media platform which allows users to post anonymous comments and questions. People can respond to these questions publicly, chat anonymously and follow other profiles anonymously or publicly. Users can also link their Ask.fm profile to their other social media platforms. This allows users to have the option of using those platforms to post questions and answers on their other social media platforms. Launched in 2010, Ask.fm is still popular with a global audience of 32 million active users exchanging over 10,000 questions a minute. The app is available on both Android and iOS devices.
Official age rating
The minimum age rating for Ask.fm users is 13, however, the app does not have any vigorous age verification methods.
It has been given an age rating of 17+ on the Apple App Store and ‘Teen’ on the Google Play Store.
Find out more about age ratings in our ‘A parent and carer’s guide to age ratings of apps and games’.
How children and young people use the app
Children and young people can find anonymous apps exciting because they allow them to share and interact with others without revealing who they are. Some young people find this social media experience differs from some of the more popular platforms since there isn’t the same level of pressure – users can post questions without the fear of being judged by peers. The anonymity of this platform encourages uses to post questions that they otherwise wouldn’t share on other platforms. This results in content that can allude to secret thoughts and feelings about family, friends, relationships and situations which may be shocking or controversial.
Key features and terminology
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This is where users can ask people nearby whatever they want to know.
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Users can ask questions directly to another user on the platform.
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This feature allows users to create a poll to accompany their post.
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Here users can chat privately with users on their friends list. Users are still able to remain anonymous within chats.
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A user’s identity is revealed within open chats.
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This is where users can find all questions and chats.
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A list of your friends on the app.
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Where users can see what their friends have been answering and asking.
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Ask.fm launched verified accounts as a way of verifying celebrities and other well-known brands on the platform. VIP status can also be rewarded to users who meet certain criteria, such as high active daily use and spreading positivity on the platform.
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Where users can like questions or answers that have been posted.
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Where users can share what they post on Facebook or Twitter.
Potential risks
Content
Whilst the site states that it is suitable for users aged 13+, there is a risk of exposure to a range of inappropriate content via the app. The anonymity of the platform presents a risk, as users could feel disinhibited and inclined to share content which they assume cannot be linked to them. This may result in content that is suggestive and would be inappropriate for younger users to be exposed to. Ask.fm does not monitor the content shared on the platform and relies on users to report inappropriate content that breaches the ‘Community guidelines’. When users agree to the terms and conditions, they agree to use the app at their own risk. If your child is using Ask.fm, it is recommended that you explore the app with them, to monitor the types of content they are exposed to. You can then decide whether the platform is suitable for your child. To reduce the risk of your child being exposed to inappropriate content, it is recommended they ask questions to known friends only, rather than ‘Asking people’. However, it should be acknowledged that your child may still be exposed to inappropriate content by their known contacts. Encourage your child to speak to you if they encounter any content that they find upsetting or disturbing.
There have also been a few reported cases of young people using Ask.fm to partake in ‘digital self-harm’. This is a relatively new phenomenon where users send themselves anonymous hurtful and sometimes verbally abusive remarks online. We encourage you to check in with your child if you think they may be at risk. If you have any concerns that your child may be sending themselves harmful messages, Welsh Government provides information, guidance and resources on mental health, well-being, and the internet.
Connecting with others
With over 300 million global users on the platform, it is possible that your child will interact with people they do not know. The ability to operate on the platform anonymously poses a risk to younger users. Unfortunately, those seeking to exploit children and young people can take advantage of anonymous apps like Ask.fm to make direct contact with them by asking them questions or following them anonymously. For information on how to disable some of these features, go to the ‘Managing interactions and content’ section of this guide. Ask.fm has also included a ‘Chat privately’ feature, which does not require users to be ‘Friends’. This could expose your child to private conversations with strangers. Speak to your child about the risks of connecting with strangers and explain the importance of not sharing any personal or identifiable information within chats. Remind your child to tell you if they have been asked more personal questions and to report anyone who makes them feel uncomfortable.
There is also the option to link a user’s Ask.fm account to their other social media accounts. This poses a further risk, as unknown users on Ask.fm could then send friend requests on these other platforms. It is recommended that your child does not link their Ask.fm account to any other social media profiles. For information on how to disable other social media links, go to the ‘Managing interactions and content’ section of this guide.
User behaviour
A key risk of Ask.fm is that users may feel less accountable for the things they ask and post. The sense of anonymity on the platform means that some young users can be drawn into harmful interactions, believing that questions and posts will not be traced back to them and that they will not be held accountable. The open offer of anonymity can make people less likely to reflect on their behaviour and think about the impact they are having on others. It can also give young people a false sense of security about sharing. Users should be aware that any answers they provide to other people’s questions automatically become public and linked to their profile. It is important to explain to your child that all content can be screenshotted, saved and widely shared. They always need to consider the content they create and share by really thinking about whether they would be happy for everyone they know to see it if their identity was revealed.
Design, data and costs
The simplistic design of the platform means it is easy for users to spend large amounts of time scrolling through other people’s questions, answering them and viewing the different responses. Talk to your child about the risk of endless scrolling and encourage them to take time away from the app. There are also an excessive number of notifications available on the app. The notification settings can be used to help manage time on the platform and full instructions on how to disable notifications can be found in the ‘Manage time and purchases’ section of this guide.
The app has its own in-app currency known as ‘Coins’ which users can earn, buy and use within the app. Users can earn coins through their answers to questions, watching video adverts and inviting friends. ‘Coins’ can then be used to customise posts and ‘tip’ the best answers made by other users. Speak to your child about in-app purchases to affirm their understanding that real money is used to make purchases within the app. You can also set the relevant in-app purchase settings on your device (instructions can be found in the ‘Managing time and purchases’ section of this guide.)
Ask.fm has a paid upgrade option, which allows users to create secret content and removes adverts. Lots of features within the app try to encourage users to upgrade. This may be very compelling for users who want to experience the additional features. Remind your child that upgrades and subscriptions are just another way companies try and keep users on the platform and make money.
Tips for keeping your child safe
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There are no specific settings to make an account private. Ask.fm users have the option to post questions anonymously or publicly, which will then share their username with each post/question.
To turn on anonymous:
- press the ‘+’ at the bottom of the page
- toggle on the ‘Anonymous’ option to hide your username
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There are a few options available to help manage interactions and content on the platform.
To ask friends only:
- within the app, choose the ‘+’ at the bottom of the screen
- select ‘Ask friend’ from the listed options at the top
- a pop-up menu will appear where you can select which friends to ask
- select ‘Done’ to complete
To disable links to other social media accounts:
- go to you profile and select the ‘Settings’ menu
- scroll down to ‘Social’ and toggle off the option to link to other social media accounts
To delete question/post:
- find the question/post in your inbox that you wish to delete
- hold the question/post until selection list appears
- select the ‘Delete’ option
To disable post-sharing by other users:
- go to your profile and select the ‘Settings’ menu
- find ‘Account’ and turn off the ‘Allow other users to share my posts’ option
To not allow others to subscribe to your activities:
- go to your profile and select the ‘Settings’ menu
- find ‘Account’ and turn off the ‘Allow others to subscribe to my activities’ option
To turn off answers on ‘Discover’ feed:
- go to your profile and select the ‘Settings’ menu
- find ‘Account’ and turn off the ‘Allow showing my answers on discover feed’ option
To turn off anonymous questions:
- go to your profile and select the ‘Settings’ menu
- find ‘Account’ and turn off the ‘Allow anonymous questions’ option
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Users can report and block other users who may be bothering them or behaving inappropriately on the platform.
To block a user:
- find the user you wish to block and press on their profile picture
- on their page select the three dots next to their name and select ‘Block’ (if their account is anonymous, you cannot do this)
To block an anonymous user:
- find the question/post from the account holder you wish to block
- hold down the comment until a selection list appears and select ‘Block’
To report a user:
- select the user you wish to report and press on their profile picture
- on their page select the three dots next to their name
- select ‘Report’ and choose a reason from the list
To report a question/post:
- find the question/post in your inbox
- hold the post until a selection list appears
- select ‘Report’ and choose the reason why
To report a private chat:
- within the chat, select the three-dot icon and choose ‘Report’
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Ask.fm does not have any specific settings to manage time and purchases on the platform. However, these can be managed from the device itself.
To manage notifications (in the app):
- go to your profile and select the ‘Settings’ menu
- select ‘Notifications’ and work through the listed options:
- New questions
- New shoutout
- New like
- New photo poll vote
- New reward
- Secret unlocked
- New answer
- New mention
- New follower
- Friend created a photo poll
- toggle off the notifications you want to disable
To turn off notifications (on iOS):
- go to phone settings and scroll to ‘Notifications’
- find Ask.fm and toggle off the ‘Notifications’ option
To turn off notifications (on Android):
- go to phone settings and scroll to ‘Notifications’
- deselect Ask.fm from the notification options
To disable in-app purchases (on iOS):
- go to the settings menu > ‘Screen time’ and scroll down to ‘Content and privacy restrictions’
- select ‘iTunes & App Store purchases’ and set the option to ‘Don’t allow’
To disable in-app purchases (on Android):
- go to your ‘Google Play Store’ app
- select ‘Menu’ > ‘Settings’ > ‘Require authentication for purchases’
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When your account is deactivated, all of your user information is kept but it is not visible on the platform or search engines. You can reactivate your account at any time to restore all of your information. Account deletion means all of your information will be permanently deleted and cannot be restored. Ask.fm users can either delete or deactivate their accounts.
To deactivate or delete your account:
- go to your profile and select the ‘Setting’ icon
- select ‘Account’ and choose either ‘Deactivate account’ or ‘Leave Ask.fm’
- enter your password into the box and select ‘Deactivate account’ or ‘Leave Ask.fm’ to confirm
Additional tips
Ask.fm has a dedicated safety centre, containing advice for teens and parents/carers.
Ask.fm has created a shortcut to their safety tools, to help users manage their safety settings.
Ask.fm also provides a designated email account for any concerns related to content issues. Contact them directly at abuse@ask.fm if you wish to report any concerns you may have.