Calculator App allows Teens to hide images on Smartphones

It seems as a Parent, getting up to speed on your child’s online use is a full time job. Here’s another smart phone App to hit the App Store you might want to be aware of. This time it’s an App which allows teens (and I’m sure some adults) to hide images they’re sending and receiving in a secure vault – masquerading as a simple calculator.

The app called ‘Calculator%’, which is currently available on iOS and Android, actually looks and functions like a normal calculator with all the features you would expect. Upon download the user has the ability to set up a 4-digit passcode to secure access to the App. In order for the secret vault to function, the app needs permission to access the users’ photos and camera. This allows the user to move across any pictures from their phone into the secret vault, which is now passcode protected.

How are private images accessed?

 It’s actually quite clever. In order to access the private images they’ve saved or to use the camera to take and save an image the user just needs to:

• Launch the App
• Press the decimal button
• Enter Passcode
• Press decimal button

From within the vault the user can then (Free version)

• Create folders
• Take a Photo
• Import from camera
• Tell a friend about ‘Private Photo (Calculator%) App’

There is also the ability to upgrade the App to the full version for just 79p, which will:

• Unlock photo & video limits
• Record intruder with photo and GPS
• Remove Ads

So what do Parents need to look out for?

As mentioned already calculator app looks like a normal calculator and could easily fool any parent snooping around their teenager’s smart phone. (Just for the record I recommend that conditional spot-checking is agreed on purchase of the phone gift to your teen). These sorts of apps are growing in popularity and you only have to carry out a quick search in the app store by searching for ‘secret’ or ‘photo vault’ to see just how many are available.

As we have outlined in previous blog posts for parents, continuous education on what apps are available and easily accessible out there is key. Staying ahead of the game by becoming an informed parent and having regular conversations with your teenager will help you guide them, to stay safer and protect themselves in the hyper connected digital world they’re growing up in.

If you’d like more practical tips on how to protect yourself online and improve your Online Reputation grab a copy of my book..

Posted By Wayne Denner

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