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Dangerous apps parents should look for on their kids' phones

New apps are continually popping up and some display a misleading app image on the phone to keep its contents hidden.

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — Pull up the app store on your iPhone, and you'll have more than 2 million apps to choose from. It's highly likely your kids will know the names of more apps than you do, and they'll also know exactly how they work.

By now, you've probably heard of SnapChat and WhatsApp. Both of these are really recognizable messaging apps. But if you saw a calculator-looking icon on your kids' phone, would you think that's all it is and glance right over it? If so, don't! It might not be what it looks like.

More apps like these are popping up. In fact, they even have a name now. They're called secret vault apps or private photo apps. When you open it up, you immediately find out it's not a calculator because you can't access it unless you have the passcode. Unlock it, and you'll see it's a spot to store pictures, videos and contacts.

Another similar app is called the Secret Photo Vault — also looking like a calculator. Simply opening it up and seeing a request for a passcode tips you off that it's definitely not a calculator.

You can also hide photos just on your phone without even using an app. On an iPhone, you hit the share icon on the bottom left. Scroll to "hide." You'll see that once you hide the photo, you can find it in your hidden photo album, which is all the way at the bottom near your recently deleted photos.

Here are a few helpful links to stay up-to-date on the latest apps and ways kids are using their phones:

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