With over 700,000 apps available for cell phones, and children having greater access to technology there are plenty of online dangers. One of those is ghost or hidden apps, which was the focus of a class for parents in Lewis County on Wednesday night.
"As adults we go to work. We come home. We're proficient with using utilizing a computer, but we may not have the knowledge to figure out how our kids could be hiding stuff inside their phone," said Debbie Clem with the Lewis County Board of Education.
Ghost apps look like a variety of common cell phone apps, such as a calculator, but when a password is entered, you can hide photos, games or browse the internet secretly.
"They have hidden apps to where they can hide inappropriate photographs, videos, and also they can exchange those," said Deputy Bobby Ryan. "And not only that, but they are you know in a sense violating both West Virginia law and federal law because that is distribution and possession of child pornography."
At the class parents were given ways to detect these apps, and some simple ways to monitor their child's online activity.
They can check with their provider to see which apps have been downloaded, or request their child's passwords.
Another big part of Internet safety is talking to children and not being afraid to question their online activity.
"If you're a parent and you see your child has an app on their phone or their device and you're not aware of what that is to ask. Engage in that conversation and ask them." said Victim Specialist Cortney Simmons.
For more information parents can visit www.commonsensemedia.org to learn about the apps. If you feel your child has been doing something inappropriate online, contact state or local police.
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