The advancement of technology has changed the lives of many. A lot of people have thanked technology for making their lives much easier. But is technology really making human lives better, or is it giving those with cruel intentions access to pry on people's lives?
A police department in Texas has posted on Facebook warning parents about apps that may be dangerous to children using cellphones. There have been many reported cases of crimes involving mobile apps. The recent killing of a 13-year-old from Virginia has caused the authorities to alert parents to be vigilant about what mobile apps their children are using on their phones.
According to Today.com, it appears that the victim and her abductor met online and spent time talking using a mobile app Kik, which is a messenger most commonly used by almost everybody who has smartphones. After spending time talking to the older boy, she disappeared from her mother's house and was later found murdered and dumped in a secluded area days after, NYdailynews.com reported.
The police department in Fulshear in Houston warned parents about mobile apps that can be dangerous for their children who owns a smartphone, parenting.com reports. The Facebook post urges parents to constantly check and discuss the perils of having and using certain app with their children. The post enumerated and described each app, as well as the danger that can potentially happen.
Here's the list:
1. Snapchat- this app allows users to send and receive video/photos. Senders can determine how long the photo or video can be viewed. The video or photo automatically gets deleted after the allotted time. This is the app that teens usually use in "sexting" because of this feature. However, the snaps can be easily recovered and get screen grabbed.
2. Vine- this is a little bit similar with Snapchat. Vine is an app where users can take a 6-second videos and share it with their followers. Although videos created by your children are completely harmless, online predators can find access and get in touch with them in messaging apps and start telling your children things that may get out of hand.
3. Yik Yak- the app allows users to post "Yaks," which are only available to 500 yakkers closest to the one who posted it. Even though many think it is harmless, it may trigger children to use explicit languages and reveal personal information about them which, if revealed to bad people, may get them in trouble.
4. Down- the app was previously known as Bang with Friends, which is connected to Facebook. App users can sort their friends as someone they just want to hang out with, or as someone they are "down" to hook up with. This app will may trigger users to create a group only intended for hook-ups, and depending on how you look at things, this may not be something you are comfortable with.
5. Tinder- it is an online dating app which allows users to find someone he/she can have a date with. Information is pulled up from users' Facebook profile. It is very easy for minors and adults to find each other which can lead to inappropriate conversation.
Other apps mentioned were Kik Messenger, Blendr, AskFM, Omegle, Poof, Periscope, and Whisper. "Parenting can be difficult already, this can make it more difficult," the post concludes.
Video Credits: youtube.com/RTV6theindychannel
