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Here are some excerpts from that link, which was originally posted by the Fairfield Public Schools:
- Tinder: An app that is used for hooking-up and dating. It is easy for adults and minors to find one another.
- Snapchat: This app allows a user to send photos and videos to anyone on his/her friend list then the image “destructs” after the allotted time. It is the number one app used for sexting.
- Blendr: A flirting app used to meet new people through GPS location services. There are no authentication requirements, so sexual predators can contact minors.
- Kik Messenger: An instant messaging app that allows users to exchange videos, pics and sketches. Sexting and sending nude selfies through the app is common.
- Whisper: Whisper allows users to superimpose text over a picture in order to share their thoughts and feelings anonymously. Kids are posting pics of other kids with derogatory text. One man in Seattle was charged with raping a 12-year-old girl he met on this app in 2013.
- Ask.fm: A Q&A site that allows users to ask other users questions while remaining anonymous. Kids will often ask repeated derogatory questions that target one person.
- Yik Yak: An app that allows users to post text-only “Yaks” of up to 200 characters. Users are exposed to sexually explicit content, derogatory language and personal attacks.
- Poof: This app allows users to make other apps “disappear." You can no longer purchase this app. But, if it was downloaded before it became unavailable, your child may still have it.
- Omegle: This app is primarily used for video chatting. Sexual predators use this app to find kids to collect personal information from in order to track them down more easily in person.
- Down: This app is connected to Facebook. Users can indicate whether or not a friend is someone they are “down” to hook-up with. It creates a hook-up norm within a peer group.
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