NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Kenner’s police chief is warning parents about specific apps he says child predators can use to contact children.
“They know what they’re doing, and they’re con artists,” Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley said Thursday. “They know how to sway children.”
Conley listed the following apps as potentially dangerous for children:
- Roblox
- TikTok
- Calculator%
- Snapchat
- Mocospace
- Monkey
- Holla
- Discord
- Wizz
- Bumble
- Hily
- Kik
- LiveMe
- Skout
- Yubo
- Down
- MeetMe
- Zoosk
- Badoo
- Grindr
- Whisper
- Best Secret Folder
“The gaming apps are by far the worse,” Conley said. “Those are open spaces where they’re interactive with people they don’t know across the country.”
Conley said some app icons appear harmless but can conceal content.
“Some of those tiles, some of those icons on that chart look very innocent,” Conley said. “A calculator icon that everybody has on their phone actually has hidden vaults for pictures, for charts.”
Nearly 40 arrests in Kenner
Conley said a partnership targeting predators across the state has already led to nearly 40 arrests in Kenner, but he said the work of protecting children starts at home.
“We really need the parents on board because they could nip it in the bud,” Conley said.
Conley also advised against giving children privacy online.
“They should have zero. They should have none,” Conley said. “As a parent, I mean, you’re aware of who your children play with, where they’re going when they’re not at home or school. This is even more important because you open yourself up to predators from across the whole country.”
He said parental vigilance could mean the difference between a child becoming a victim and staying safe.
Apps respond
State Attorney General Liz Murrill sued Roblox last year, alleging the app lacked proper safeguards to protect children.
Roblox said in a statement that it is committed to user safety. It pointed to mandatory age checks and restricted communication between age groups as safeguards.
Bumble said it, too, has safeguards in place to ensure those under 18 are not on its platform. It said it also has a critical response team to coordinate with law enforcement when necessary.
Wizz App said in a statement it also cooperates fully with law enforcement and has allocated 50% of its operating costs to safety. It said its minimum age on the platform is 16 and that those users can only interact with 17-year-old users.
Grindr pointed out its app is only for adults and that it goes to “great lengths” to prevent juveniles from posting a profile or using the app.
The app Hily said it takes user safety seriously and said it also has safeguards in place to prevent anyone under 18 from joining its platform.
“We do not tolerate content or behavior involving the exploitation, grooming or endangerment of children,” the company said in a statement.
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