There are a lot of great applications and uses for smartphones, but there are also some dangerous ones. Certain smartphone apps mean nothing but trouble, and it’s important as parents that you know which ones should raise red flags.
An important type of app that parents should be aware of is a vault app. These apps effectively hide files, texts, and images from the casual viewer. So if your teen is sexting or receiving inappropriate images from someone at school, you wouldn’t be able to see them.
One of the only reasons for teenagers to install a vault app on their phones is if they have a secret to hide. Watch out for one of these apps on his or her smartphone. If you notice they have any of the following apps on their phones, this might be a good time to start asking questions.
Vault for iPhone
Vault is an iPhone app for protecting private photos and videos. It requires a passcode to enter, which your teen can create without your knowledge. It also has break-in alerts and cloud backup. This means that your teen will know if you’re trying to penetrate the app, and even if you delete the app from his phone, there’s a backup version of all the files somewhere on the cloud, and they can restore it at any time.
Vaulty for Android
Vaulty is a version of the iPhone’s Vault, but it’s made for Android phones instead. It’s one of the oldest and most reliable apps there is for hiding files on a smartphone. It’s also password protected and has backup and alert features similar to Vault.
Private Photo Vault for iPhone
As the name suggestions, Private Photo Vault is an app that hides any private photos the user requests with a special pin to unlock it. This app is even more complex, however, as those who try to break into the app will have a secret photo taken of them and log their GPS location, so your teen will know exactly who is breaking into their phone.
Gallery Lock for Android
This is a tricky little app that your teens can try to hide from you. When put in “Stealth Mode,” Gallery Lock will disappear from the phone’s desktop. However, it can be retrieved by typing in an asterisk, the phone’s password, and then pressing call.
Be Wary of Snooping Through Their Phone
Snooping through their phone opens up the door to mistrust and leads to more secret keeping. If you see this app on your teens phone, ask them about it. If you suspect they may be hiding things, talk to them about it. Many experts suggest it’s better to let your teen know you have the right to see what’s on the phone you’re paying for rather than lying and sneaking through their device without their knowledge. Have a conversation about the dangers associated with sexting, secrets, and whatever else comes up in conversation. Look for opportunities to have a casual conversation and avoid shaming.
Any of these apps can lead to highly inappropriate behavior from your teens. Being educated and aware about any of these applications can help you solve a problem before it becomes much more difficult to fix.
For more information about how you can help your troubled teen, visit us at Sundance Canyon Academy.