Is Your Child Heading Back to School?

Here Are 15 Apps All Parents Should Know About

By Enough is Enough

We reached out to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office to thank them for creating the above graphic. Here’s what Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight had to say about this helpful resource:

“What originally began as a list of nine apps parents should know about quickly grew to 15 and there are more out there. During Operation Intercept VI, 25 men utilized these specific mobile applications to contact and have sex with who they believed were 14-year-old children. We will continue to conduct these operations and add to this list so long as the internet and social media is used to lure and prey on our children.”

Of course, there are more apps that are not listed here that predators are using to try to connect with and groom children. Parents, it’s important to know what apps and sites your teens are visiting and what information they are posting. Here are a few tips:

Teach your child to:

• Be as anonymous as possible (do not post or share additional information)
• Use privacy settings
• Avoid in-person meetings
• Be honest about their age when signing up for apps
• Remember social networking sites are public spaces
• Avoid posting anything that could embarrass them later or expose them to danger (think before they post)
• Remember that people aren’t always who they say they are
• Avoid inappropriate content and behavior, and, if encountered, report it to the social networking site

If your child or someone he/she knows is in danger, contact law enforcement immediately.