E-Learning  

App Watch: Push It ‘Notifications’

Push It App Review

Push It! What was once a number 1 hit song by Salt-N-Pepa [80s/90s flashbacks] Push It is now a trending communication app certainly catching the eye and attention of young digital citizens. It has risen to high ranks in the top social app downloads so we spent some time using it to explore the security, safety and wellbeing risks for young people.

What is Push It?

Push It is a simple app with limited functionality. Its main function is to help users create their own custom notifications and ‘push’ them out to selected contacts.

Push It uses a follower/following method and allows users to send out a push text notification to everyone who subscribes to them on the app. Those followers can then respond to that notification to engage in one-on-one conversations. There is not much more to this application. Simply add Friends, push your own notifications to them and wait for a reply.

Push It is an accompanying product to a popular Snapchat anonymous messaging add on called Send It.

Cyber Safety Considerations

When reviewing a new application, we start with our three point safety check to uncover the following functionalities:

1. CONTENT: Could there be exposure to explicit or harmful content?
2. CONNECTION: Could my child be exposed to unwanted contact, communication or connections with strangers?
3. COLLECTION: What personal information will be collected, and how will it be stored and shared?

What did we discover?

• Currently, Push It does not allow for users to view content other than text communication.
• Notifications disappear after 1 single view. There is currently no way to review past notifications that have been sent or received. We predict this could lead to users misusing the tool to send explicit, inappropriate or negative comments. A screenshot to collect evidence of notifications or replies is the only way to keep a copy or history of communication.
• Push It requires access to the phone contacts on your device. It prompts their users to invite friends to join via a prewritten text message invitation and a link to download the app. The app only works if you have notifications for Push It enabled.
• We have concerns about Push It’s privacy policy. Their policy outlines their intention to share user data. Ensure that you review their full terms of service.
• Once you have set up your Push It account, there are no navigations available to log out of the app, or to update your privacy, security or wellbeing setting preferences. There are no options to report misuse or any help/support buttons.
• Whilst the App Store lists the age as 17+, the Terms of Service for Push It outline that the app is not intended for children and requires users to be over the age of 18. You can have a child’s account removed from Push It by contacting support@getsendit.com.

Wil Marks

E-Learning Leader