“Every one of them has appeared throughout our investigations,” Kenner’s Police Chief said after releasing a list of social, gaming, chat, and dating apps.
KENNER, La. — From gaming platforms to social media and messaging apps, Kenner police say parents need to know what their children are doing online.
That’s the message behind a recently released list of 23 social, gaming, chat and dating apps the department shared on social media. Chief Keith Conley said the list was compiled to help parents better understand the platforms investigators commonly encounter while investigating crimes against children.
“Every one of them has appeared throughout our investigations,” Conley said.
The list includes well-known platforms such as Roblox, Bumble and Badoo, along with apps like “The Best Secret Folder,” which is designed to hide photos and videos behind multiple passwords.
RELATED: Roblox asks judge to dismiss state lawsuit over child safety concerns
Conley said the department’s goal is not to alarm parents but to educate them about the digital spaces their children may be using.
As part of that effort, Kenner Police recently joined several law enforcement agencies and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office in launching an Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Conley said three operations conducted so far this year have resulted in more than 40 arrests and more than 80 criminal charges.
“I could have a policeman at every door, but that perpetrator, that predator is in your kid’s bedroom through a gaming platform, through one of those apps, through social media,” Conley said.
For some parents, the warning is eye-opening.
“Yes, it’s very surprising,” said Ivory Tobias, a parent whose children range in age from five to their early 20s.
Tobias said many parents don’t realize the risks that can come with giving children a phone or tablet to keep them occupied.
“‘Get on your phone.’ They grab their phone, grab the tablet, and just we get so caught up on being free, but you got to pay attention,” Tobias said.
One of the biggest concerns for investigators is sextortion, a crime in which someone poses as a child or teenager online to gain a young person’s trust before demanding money, images or other favors.
“The main concern is sextortion. It’s where somebody talks to a child on the internet pretending to be the same age as that child,” Conley said.
He said children often believe they are communicating with a peer when they are actually interacting with an adult who may later threaten to share private images with family members, friends or school officials.
Earlier this year, Kenner investigators conducted an undercover operation targeting online child predators. Lt. Nick Engler and members of the Criminal Investigations Division created a fake dating app profile posing as a 15-year-old girl, with a younger officer typically serving as the decoy.
RELATED: ‘You’re 15 years old. Do you want me to get in trouble?’: Kenner sex predator sting nabs 12
“I think the oldest match I had was 72 years old,” Engler said.
Tobias said conversations that begin online can quickly become dangerous because users do not always know who is behind a profile.
“You got a 13-year-old that could be a 25-year-old female. Man, pulls up, you never know. It’s a crazy world,” Tobias said.
Conley said parents should be actively involved in how their children use social media, chat and gaming platforms and should not assume those online spaces are private.
“Parents, do not respect your children’s privacy when it comes to these open spaces, these social media platforms, especially gaming platforms,” Conley said.
With students returning to school, Conley is also encouraging parents to be cautious about the information they share online, including back-to-school photos that identify a child’s school, teacher or classroom.
“In the digital world, you have to be very cautious of putting out too much information about your child,” Conley said.
Police encourage parents to regularly review the apps on their children’s devices, learn how the platforms work and maintain ongoing conversations about online safety.
