New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal recently announced the arrests of 16 men who were charged with attempting to lure minors into sex, attempted sexual assault β and, in some cases, possession of child pornography. Among the group of men arrested in the investigation dubbed "Operation Home Alone" were a Ridgewood police officer, a teacher from the Bronx, a minister, a barber and a bank manager.
Most were using a social media app, a messaging website, or even the chat feature of a video game to reach out to the detectives who were posing as teens. Despite identifying themselves as and year-olds, police allege, the men still engaged in conversations about sex and arranged to meet up. Grewal emphasized that apps like Kik, MeetMe, Tumblr and even Fortnite, can become an easy gateway for predators to connect with children.
Here's what parents should know about the messaging, gaming and dating apps authorities say predators could use to target kids. Now, the app is focused on helping teens stay connected, and has added features like chatting with a bot, using gifs and emojis or scrolling through news.
Users must be 13 to use the app, the company website says. Adam4Adam : A dating website designed for men to meet other men "for friendship, romance, or a hot hookup. The site, which also has a mobile app, operates as a dating site, messaging site and "movies" section. The site has been running since , and users must testify that they are 18 or older before entering. Skout: An app created to help people "make new connections and friends. The app's website also has a safety tips section , telling users that if they are going to meet someone in person, to do so in public, first tell a friend and to be sober.
Whisper : An app that allows users to post and share photos, videos and messages anonymously. It touts itself as an online community where people share "real thoughts, trade advice and get the inside scoop.
