A recent study by the Co-Op Foundation reported that 95% of children and young people admitted to occasionally feeling lonely. So it’s easy to understand how networking apps like HiPal – with the tempting lure of bucketloads of cool new people to befriend and interact with online – become hugely successful very quickly if they’re delivered well.

HiPal is indeed a competently assembled app in terms of usability and features – but (with no age verification system and an ineffective reporting tool) it does also sport some glaring omissions from a safeguarding perspective. Trusted adults should check out this week’s NOS #WakeUpWednesday guide for a full profile of this up-and-coming chat app.

At the time of writing, the chat app HiPal was among the App Store’s top 20 trending downloads in the social media category. Effectively turning someone’s phone into a walkie-talkie for instant audio communication, it offers the possibility of quick contact with new friends – which will ring alarm bells for most parents but is clearly having considerable appeal for younger users. With features including photo sharing and private conversations available to children as young as 12, HiPal has attracted concerns around its use as a potential platform for sexting – while there are also worries about the mental health consequences of teens receiving negative feedback about their pictures. Today’s #WakeUpWednesday guide tells you what you need to know.