What is the Boo App (Formerly Boomoji)?

The Boo app (formerly Boomoji) is a social networking and dating app that promises to help users connect with new friends or potential dates. Some users are drawn to the app's use of its personality test and questionnaire that promise to match users with people who share their interests. If users allow the app to access their location, it will also connect them with people in the same area. While it has dropped in popularity over the years, at the time of this writing it ranked at only #59 in the App Store's Social Networking category, it poses a risk to kids by encouraging engagement with strangers.

What is the Boo app?

• The Boo app (formerly Boomoji) is a social/dating platform with personality-based matching
• If you're familiar with the old Boomoji, the Boo App barely resembles the old one, which focused on users making and customizing avatars. Parents who felt comfortable with their kids using Boomoji may not realize the app is now heavily focused on dating
• Though technically free, the Boo app aggressively pushes users to upgrade to "Boo Infinity" for up to $5/week or $100/year. The paid version allows unlimited matching and direct messaging
  
• The Boo app also encourages users to post pictures, things on your mind, and things users are feeling or doing
• The paid version allows unlimited direct messaging with others on the app

Boo app marketing says:

"Boo is for connecting with compatible and like‑minded souls. Date, chat, match, make friends and meet new people by personality."

Why should parents care?

• The Boo app encourages kids to find and interact with strangers online
• The Boo app was formerly called Boomoji but changed its name after it exposed the personal information of its 5 million users
• That history should still concern parents, since it shows a pattern of weak security and serves as a reminder that once personal data is exposed, it can never truly be taken back
• Users are easily lured into buying its expensive "Boo Infinity" upgrade, which the company doesn't mention until after users have already downloaded it and created a profile
• The app states it has a minimum age of 17 but does not have age verification

The Boo app in the news:

Popular animated avatar creator app Boomoji, with more than five million users across the world, exposed the personal data of its entire user base after it failed to put passwords on two of its internet-facing databases… Each record also included a user’s unique Boomoji ID, which was linked to other tables in the database. Those other tables included if and which school they go to — a feature Boomoji touts as a way for users to get in touch with their fellow students. –Tech Crunch‍

What can parents do?

• Have an open conversation with your children about apps that connect them with strangers. Ask what they know about Boo, and share why it isn’t a safe space for kids
• Set clear boundaries around which apps are off-limits. Boo is designed for dating and socializing with strangers, not for kids or younger teens
• Teach digital safety basics: remind kids never to share personal information (like school, address, phone number, or photos) with people they meet online
• Be on the same apps that your kids use. Follow their feeds, know who they’re talking to, and monitor their behavior
• When you decide your child is ready for social media, encourage apps in the Green Zone of SmartSocial.com Parent App Guide

Conclusion

The Boo app is a social networking and dating app that uses a personality quiz to recommend friends or potential boyfriends/girlfriends who are also on the site. While kids might consider this a fun way to meet people who share their interests, it actively encourages them to connect with strangers; as with any social-networking app, this increases the chance of exposure to predators. It is nothing like its old "Boomoji" version and is now mostly a dating app.

Additional Resources for Parents & Educators

Avoiding Strangers and Dangerous Situations Online

Optimizing Parental Controls: Balancing Safety & Privacy for Your Family
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