PORTLAND, Maine — It's a story tens of thousands of you have been clicking on -- the 15 apps parents should be checking for on their kids' phones. As a result, NEWS CENTER Maine wanted to break down a few of them for you and explain how they work.
Some of these apps are capable of things you might not even be aware of, like the Calculator+ app. It's one of several apps available that look like a math tool but really hide photos and browser history. It's a sneaky way to hide any images or photos the user doesn't want easily accessed in their phones.
Then, there are the dating apps -- Bumble, Grindr, MeetMe, etc. You've probably heard of some of them. Police say these are problematic because of their location and age features.
While some dating apps link to your Facebook page to pull your information, these apps allow you to create a profile from scratch, meaning anyone could be behind the profile you've matched with.
When looking at apps with scary location features, Snapchat ranks pretty high on the list. It's a super popular app among people of all ages, but especially the younger generation.
If your kids are using it, you need to know about the SnapMap feature.
The map shows bitmoji characters of people on your friends list and their exact location -- down to the google image of the building they are in.
When the feature first came out, Snapchat said it was a new way to stay in touch with your friends and connect with people nearby, but police warn this is actually one of the more dangerous features about it.