Law Enforcement Warns Parents of Dangerous Smartphone Apps
DOWNTOWN JACKSON — In light of the arrest of a teacher who allegedly used a dating app to meet an underage boy, a JPD investigator is offering a warning to parents who have children with smartphones. Investigator Terry Buckley says that there are a great deal of apps that are popular today, with three of the most notable being SnapChat, Kik and MeetMe. The appealing thing about these apps is that these messages self-delete and do not show up on a cell phone bill. Parents are asked to bring any suspicious activity to JPD’s attention right away. The temporary holding makes it very difficult, because once it’s gone, it’s gone. Although this is a national issue, there are a lot of problems with “sexting” in Jackson-Madison County. Buckley’s advice for parents are as follows: -Know your kids’ passwords to social media and monitor as you see fit. -Educate kids on dangers of meeting people online. Most are not aware. -Install software on kids’ phones. A free app called “Mama Bear” (http://mamabearapp.com/) is recommended. It tells the kid’s location, monitors social media, allows you to search keywords and block certain friends.
