Apps Alert

Periscope

Personal Broadcasting/Live Streaming Apps:  

These apps are the 2015 version of a webcam, allowing users to stream real-time, live video from any mobile device (phone or tablet), broadcasting to other users at any time.  Going live will instantly notify any followers who can then join, comment, or send feedback/likes in real-time.  Often connected to or registered directly from other social media accounts (Twitter being the main one, but also linked to Facebook, Instagram, Google+, etc), several of these apps allow users to post or upload for instant viewing on the web.

Concern:   Privacy and location are two of the biggest flags, but these apps can also increase the potential for bullying.  Because these apps offer the ability to stream live video, there is no way to know ahead of time what content the video may contain, making it impossible to ensure that minors won’t be exposed to inappropriate content.  This may be an open invitation for explicit or violent content or other inappropriate behavior to be captured and shared online.  App reviews have noted that the content often includes profanity, nudity, sexually explicit or suggestive encounters, illegal activity, fighting and violence, alcohol and drug use, and even video captured of unknowing strangers in public places.  While there is an ability to “report” explicit use, many of these apps do not expressly state what is or is not allowed.

YouNow

UStream

Meerkat

TwitCasting

Badoo:  An adult-only online dating app that is used to meet new people through GPS location services, Badoo helps users meet people you may come across in daily life.

Concern:   The app identifies the user’s location by tracking the device and matches users close by.  Sexual predators can contact minors, minors can meet up with adults, and there is high risk of sexting.

MocoSpace  One of the largest chat communities, this app allows users to meet people nearby in chat rooms.  It supports both group or 1-1 texting, as well as games, and requires users to set up a profile with personal information and preferences.

Concern:  Rated 17, due to sexual content, nudity.  Sexual predators can use this app to find kids and to collect personal information in order to track children down more easily in person.

Oovoo:  A video call app with built in text and voice, that allows group video chat over multiple platforms (iPad, Android, computers, etc.).  The app allows users to make regular phone calls as well as video chats.

Concern:   Safety and privacy are the number one concern.  While users must be 13 years or older, default account settings allow anyone to search, see, and contact all users.  As well, the video chat feature can open the door for questionable interactions via the device’s camera.

Shots of Me:  A photo sharing app that has no public comment function, but rather uses a direct messaging feature where users can only send private messages to one another.

Concern:   The app shows a users location, and how long ago the photo was added, and could be used to add unkind or nasty messages out of view.

*Others to look for:  Snap Grab, Snap Box, Snap Saver, Save My Snaps, & Snap Save

Save Snap & Snap Keep:  These apps are third-party programs that easily intercept and store any Snapchats sent to the user, negating the "temporary" aspects of the SnapChat service.

Concern:   SnapChat has gained the reputation as a sexting app because pictures, videos, and texts are not stored on devices.  These companion apps allow users to permanently save any image or video the sender believes has “disappeared” without any notification.

*Others to look for:  Snap Grab,  Snap Box,  Snap Saver,  Save My Snaps,  & Snap Save

Street Chat:  This app uses GPS coordinates to pinpoint a user's location as well as all of the  schools nearby. The user can then post messages or send private messages to individual users in the area.

Concern:   This app lists schools from grade-school all the way to college level.  Although the app may seem harmless on the surface, it could be a clear avenue for cyberbullying or sexual predators.

Video for Kik:  Allows users of Kik to send video messages to one another using the device’s camera.

Concern:  Safety and privacy are again the greatest concern.   As well, the video chat feature can open the door questionable interactions via the device’s camera, without as many built-in monitoring capabilities.

Vine:  This app allows users to upload and watch short, six-second looping video clips.  Videos can be created and shared with the world, or with individual or selected groups of people.

Concern:   Vine is a social media app that allows for full access to content that may be inappropriate for children. There are plenty of appropriate, artistic, and creative clips, however with the most basic search, users can find nudity, sex,  drug use, and more explicit or inappropriate content.

Wattpad:  A place where teens and adults can publicly share their fiction writing in a blog-like format, as well as read and comment on other people's works. Nearly a third of the writings are unrated, and some decidedly explicit material shows up, especially in the romance, relationship, and non-fiction sections.

Concern:   While intended as a way to promote creative writing and publishing one’s work in an easily shareable format, the relatively unmoderated environment means younger teens should proceed with tremendous caution.

iBooks

These apps provide the user a way to download and read books.  Each includes a digital book store, where users can access and download over 1,000,000+ books, plus hundreds of newspapers and magazines.  

The websites associated with each carry write-ups and descriptions of books which include age ratings and content descriptors, and accounts must be set up to purchase and download both free and paid-for content.

Concern:   The content, both free and purchased, available to the user through these reading apps allows access beyond what may be age-appropriate and checked out by a school or local librarian.  As a result, teens could download content beyond what might be age-appropriate, especially since the content choice for digital reading is not as visibly apparent/detectable as a book cover may be.   In addition to keeping open dialogue about what is being read, maintaining access to and monitoring the content being assigned to these accounts (online and/or on the device itself) is important.

Nook

Kindle

Kobo

Oyster

Open Door:  (download that appears as an app)

This app allows users to “jailbreak” a device to gain access to various apps, games, and programs not accessible in the App Store.

Concern:   The app appears like a “normal” app, but bypasses both Apple and school security settings, possibly exposing the device to harmful malware and spyware, in addition to breaching Apple’s Terms & Conditions as well as the school’s Acceptable Use Policy.

vShare:  (download that appears as an app)

Allows the user to gain access to apps and games outside of the App Store.

Concern:   It allows the user access to an uncurated app store, not supported or monitored by Apple.  Because of the lack of oversight, some apps downloaded from the Cydia Store have been found to include malicious spyware and malware, some even engaging the webcam without the user’s knowledge.

AppCake: (download that appears as an app)

This app allows users to “jailbreak” a device to gain access to various apps, games, and programs not accessible in the App Store.

Concern:   It allows the user access to an uncurated app store, not supported or monitored by Apple.  Because of the lack of oversight, some apps downloaded from the Cydia Store have been found to include malicious spyware and malware, some even engaging the webcam without the user’s knowledge.

AppAddict (download that appears as an app)

Allows the user to gain access to apps and games outside of the App Store.

Concern:  The app appears like a “normal” app, but bypasses both Apple and school security settings, possibly exposing the device to harmful malware and spyware, in addition to breaching Apple’s Terms & Conditions as well as the school’s Acceptable Use Policy.

Calculator%:  (real name = Private Photo (Calculator%))

This app functions as a regular calculator, but allows files to be securely stored within the app, remaining completely private and confidential.

Concern:   All media housed within the app remains in a harmless-looking “calculator” icon.  Once open, the app functions as a calculator and only when the user can enters a passcode  will the app open up a secret area where pictures and video can be hidden.

Ky-Calc:  (real name = Secret Photos KYMS; Keep Your Media Safe)

Allows user to hide and protect private photos, videos, and documents.  This app also has an internet browser which allows the user to hide all website searches and related internet data.

Concern:   Appears and functions on the device as a standard “calculator” app, and the private area is only shown by typing your private 4 digit pin.

*Others to look for: Hi Calculator, Secret Calculator Folder, Hide Calculator, Calculator Lock & Spy Calculator

Folder:  (actual name in app store = Secret Folder Icon)

Allows user to hide and protect private photos, videos, and documents.  This app also has an internet browser which allows the user to keep all website searches and related internet data completely private.

Concern:   Appears on the device as a standard “folder,” and the private area is only shown by entering the correct swipe pattern passcode.

My Utilities:  (actual name in app store = Best Secret Folder)  

This app allows files to be securely stored within the app, remaining completely private and confidential.

Concern:   All media housed within the app remains in a harmless-looking “folder” icon.  Once the user enters a passcode,  the app will open up a secret area where pictures and video can be hidden.

*Others to look for:  Don’t Touch This,  Secret Folder!,  Secret Photos, Private Photos & iVault

Hi Folder:  
Allows user to hide and protect private photos, videos, and documents. .

Concern:   Appears on the device as “normal” looking app,  and the private area is only shown by entering the correct pattern passcode.

My Disk:  (actual name in app store = Lock Photo + Video Safe)

Allows user to hide and protect private photos, videos, and documents. .

Concern:   Appears on the device as “normal” looking app,  and the private area is only shown by entering the correct pattern passcode.

Photo Folder:  (actual name in app store = Secret Photo +Folder)

Allows user to hide and protect private photos, videos, and documents. .

Concern:   Appears on the device as “normal” looking app,  and the private area is only shown by entering the correct pattern passcode.

*Others to look for: Private Photo Manager, Keep Safe Private Photo Vault, & Hide Photo+Video Safe

Piano:  (actual name in app store = Secret Piano Icon)

Allows user to hide and protect private photos, videos, and documents.

Concern:   Appears on the device as a “normal” looking music app,  and the private area is only shown by entering the correct pattern passcode.

Ask.fm:  Ask.fm is one of the most popular social networking sites , used almost exclusively by kids.  This app functions as a Q&A site, allowing users to ask other users questions anonymously.

Concern:   Kids use it to ask repeated, derogatory questions in order to target one person.  Due to the anonymity of the badgering, it creates a virtually consequence-free method for cyber-bullying, associated with documented suicide cases in the US.

Blendr:  A flirting app used to meet new people through GPS location services.  Users can send messages, photos, videos, rate the hotness of other users, etc.

Concern:  There are no authentication requirements, so sexual predators can contact minors, minors can meet up with adults. & again, the high risk of sexting.

Down:  This app, which used to be called Bang with Friends, is connected to Facebook.  Users can categorize their Facebook friends as  someone they’d like to hang with or someone they are “down” to hook-up with.

Concern:  Although identifying someone a user is willing to hook-up with does not mean users will actually hook-up with these individuals, it sets the tone that hook-ups are normal within a peer group.

Kik Messenger:  An instant messaging app with over 100 million users that allows users to exchange videos, pics, & sketches.

Concern:  It is common for kids to use the app for sexting & sending nude selfies. The term “Kik buddy” is used as a substitute for “sext buddy” as a result.  As well, Kik does not offer any parental controls & users are not  authenticated.  

*Others to look for:  Tumblr,  Facebook Messenger & Link Messenger

Omegle:  This app is primarily used for video chatting. With Omegle, users do not share identifying information through the service.  Instead, chat participants are only identified as “You” & “Stranger”.  

Concern:  Sexual predators can use this app to find kids to collect personal information from in order to track children down more easily in person.

Poof:  This app allows users to make other apps “disappear” on their device.  Kids use it to hide any app they don’t want you to see by opening the app & selecting other apps.

Concern:  Luckily, this app can no longer be purchased through the app store.  But, if it was downloaded before  it became unavailable, your child may still have it.                                         

*Others to look for:  Hidden Apps,  App Lock, &  Hide It

Snapchat: This app allows users to send photos & videos to anyone on his/her  friend list. The sender can determine how long the receiver can view an image & then the image “destructs”.

Concern:  It is the #1 app used for sexting, because people think it is the ‘safer’ way to sext.  However, ‘snaps’ can easily be recovered & a receiver can take a screenshot to save & share with others.  

Tinder:  An app used for hooking-up & dating.  This app pulls information from user’s Facebook profiles.

Concern: Due to the rating system, it is often used for cyber-bullying, because a group can target one child to purposefully make his/her rating go down.

Whisper:  Whisper is an anonymous confession app that allows users to layer text over a picture in order to share thoughts & feelings anonymously.  While users post anonymously, the app displays the area users are posting from.  

Concern: Due to the anonymity, kids are posting pics of other kids with derogatory text superimposed on the image.   Sexual predators can use the app to locate kids through GPS  & establish a relationship.

Yik Yak:  An app that allows users to post text-only “Yaks” of up to 200 characters.  The messages can be viewed by the 500 Yakkers who are closest to the original writer, as determined by GPS tracking.

Concern:   Although the posts are anonymous, kids start revealing personal information as they get more comfortable with other users.