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Internet & Phone Safety
Attractive new mobile apps and social networking sites are part of today’s technology, but some apps pose significant risks to children. Unsuspecting teens can be exposed to malicious, anonymous postings including cyber bullying, sextortion, or pornography.
Cheezo suggests parents take time to regularly review their child’s electronic devices and familiarize themselves with apps being used. Apps requiring a password are a red flag that may require further action.
Below are some of the latest Internet or phone trends and apps that Cheezo has encountered in Jefferson County:
This free app is a storage center for photos that users want to hide. KeepSafe requires a password. One of the most important things Cheezo tells kids is “If you have to hide it, don’t take it.” While children desire the freedom to make their own online decisions, parents recognize this can put them in danger.
Many parents are surprised to find their children can turn older devices into texting instruments by downloading free applications like Text Free, textPlus, or Text Now.
Even parents who are vigilant in checking their teen’s cell phone messages sometimes are unaware their teen is texting from free applications on other devices. New applications come out every day and teenagers generally find and use them before we even know they exist. It’s good practice to not only check the messages on your teenager’s phone but all applications.
Geotagging adds geographical identification to digital media such as photographs, videos, websites, and SMS messages. Smart phones and digital cameras have a global positioning satellite (GPS) feature that makes geotagging possible by providing latitude and longitude coordinates. After posting media, geotagging can share your exact home address, school address, work address, and places you frequent with strangers it the geotagging feature is functioning on the phone. Cheezo recommends disabling the geotagging feature by visiting a Geotag Security website.
Ask.fm is a question and answer format in which users interact by inviting others to ask or answer anonymous questions. Ask.fm is a foreign-based site that offers an anonymous channel for teens to communicate with friends or strangers without their parents’ knowledge. When a user registers, they are provided a URL that can be copied to a teen’s Facebook or Instagram page, providing direct anonymous access to the unsuspecting teen.
In addition, upon registering, extensive personal information is published on the site. Anyone signed up can see the information, including photos or video, making Ask.fm a likely tool for child predators. The site offers no method for reporting offensive comments or threats, there is no censorship or cyber accountability, and they offer only limited privacy settings or identity controls.
Smartphones and digital cameras have location services through a global positioning satellite (GPS) feature that makes geotagging possible by providing latitude and longitude coordinates. After posting media, geotagging can share your exact home address, school address, work address, and places you frequent with strangers. You can turn off location services completely, or on an app-to-app basis.
Each time a new app is added, you should check to ensure the location services setting is turned off for that app. CHEEZO recommends disabling location services for your cell phone camera and most location services except maps and weather.
Many children and teenagers frequent popular game sites online such as Minecraft and Roblox. Many of these sites allow users to communicate with others who are also playing online. We tell children and teenagers that if they choose to communicate with others, talk only about the game. If someone asks how old you are, your name, where you live, or any other personal information, children should reply that they are only wanting to play the game.
The JCSO CHEEZO Unit warns parents about an app called IRL (In Real Life).
Many students have inquired about getting unsolicited text messages from the IRL app specifically addressing them by name.
This app is concerning as when accepting the app it accesses identity, contacts, location, photos/media/files, camera and device ID and call information. On allowing access to these areas you are allowing strangers to have access to your personal information, your location and your contacts which provides strangers their information and ability to contact them.
According to IRL’s frequently asked questions page, someone can receive a text from IRL for a number of reasons, including if: “one of your friends (who has your phone number in their contacts list) added you as a friend on the app, invited you to something on the app, or nominated you through the app.” A person may automatically send a text to everyone they added as a friend on the service.
IRL’s privacy policy states that to register for the app, users have to share their name, email, phone number, address book or contacts and GPS location on the device they are using.