Just when you think you're clued up about your kid's tech, some fiendish new app comes along to keep you on your toes.
A video by Alabama DA, Pamela Casey, recently went viral after it alerted parents to a fake calculator app.
Does your child have this app-- Calculator%? You need to know what this app really is for--- and it isn't for adding numbers! Check out this new video (less than 2 minutes)!
Posted by Blount County District Attorney-41st Judicial Circuit on Tuesday, September 1, 2015
At first glance, the icon may look like a typical calculator, but the app is in fact a "little vault of deception." After you plug in a preset passcode, the app unlocks hidden photos and files.
Calculator% is not the only secret app available on iPhone and Android.
Photo vault apps have been on the market for years, claims social network safety expert, Paul Davis. But this one is particularly sneaky, as it can evade even the most responsible, astute parents. (In this case, look for the % in the name as a giveaway.)
These apps are available to buy in various iterations on iTunes and Google Play, so parents are advised to search "photo vaults" for other apps that may be posing as innocuous tools.
"In the context of secrecy, it's a concern as to why children install [fake calculator] - versus using an app that is obvious," says Davis.
If your kids feel they have something to hide, it may be time to bring the conversation out into the open.
RELATED: 
Printer-friendly version