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Three ways to spot apps that hide secrets on your teen's phone
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Vault apps, or apps that act as hiding places for illicit photos and messages, are popular among some teens. Here's what parents should watch for. - photo by Chandra Johnson
Vault apps, or apps that act as hiding places for illicit photos and messages, are popular among some teens, as some Colorado teens caught in a sexting ring demonstrated this fall.

Sometimes called "privacy apps," vault apps have become increasingly popular with the rise of secret messaging apps like Snapchat, as the New York Times reported.

Here are some hallmarks of popular vault apps and how parents can spot them on teens' phones:

1. Some hide in plain sight click through

Many vault apps, like KYMS or Best Secret Folder, disguise themselves as innocuous apps like calculators. To find out what's really going on it's not enough for parents to take a glance at the homescreen. Click through to make sure the app is what it claims.

2. Check the privacy settings for the phone's camera

Parents are busy enough without having to put every single app on their child's phone under a microscope. One quick workaround Common Sense Media recommends for days when a thorough check of the smartphone isn't an option is to check the privacy settings of the phone's camera. Most Apple and Android devices will list what apps have requested access to the phone's camera.

3. Know the parental controls for the device

Each device is different, which is why it's crucial to become intimate with how parental controls work for different brands. (Sidenote: New York Times tech columnist Brian Chen argues that Apple devices boast more stringent parental controls compared to Android.) For Apple users, controls like Ask to Buy can notify parents of what apps their children are using. Similarly, Google Play has full instructions for its parental controls on Android devices.

In addition, parents can download apps like AppLock that prevents teens from downloading age-inappropriate apps.

While parents should monitor their children's digital activity, Common Sense Media suggests parents first talk to kids about responsible device use.

"Explain that you respect their privacy," Common Sense Media reports. "If you don't, you could drive their activities underground."