GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Parents beware: a dangerous social media trend most adults don’t know about is making its way across Instagram.
It’s called Finsta, which is shorthand for fake Instagram.
Instagram is a smartphone app people use to post photos or videos for their friends to see. However, some teens are taking it a step further by creating a fake or separate account on Instagram, called a “Finsta.”
One West Michigan family’s life was turned upside down in one day after they found their teenager was caught in a social media nightmare. A few years ago their daughter was using a social media app the parents weren’t aware of, called Whisper, to talk to men.
The men turned out to be child predators and detectives reached out to the parents. Next came several court dates and therapy — their lives changed forever.
“We’re a suburban, as normal as a family as you can get and if it can happen to us, it can happen to anybody,” said the mother, who wished to remain anonymous.
But social media habits change quickly. Now Finsta accounts are a favorite for some teens.