The Dangers of Vault Apps
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Teens and Vault Apps: A Helpful Tip
Although many parents may not know about them, "vault" apps for phones have been around for a long time. Vault app icons are designed to look like calculator apps, photo apps, or other common apps; however, they're actually used for hiding whatever a user wants hidden and they require a password to open.
While vault apps can have some beneficial purposes, teens often use them to hide inappropriate photos and videos, as well as private conversations.
I recently heard a brilliant and simple way for parents to find out whether their son/daughter has a vault app on their phone. Go to the app store on the phone, search for "vault app," and look to the right of each search result. Does it say "Get" or "Open"? If any search result says "Open," that vault app is already installed on their phone.
How to Use This Tip
Don't assume that your kid would never be sneaky and hide something like this from you. I work with "good kids" in Christian schools all the time, but even "good kids" are not perfect kids. They still have struggles and still sometimes make bad choices, including ones that you may not know about.
If they are a "good kid" and are hiding something inappropriate, they probably struggle with guilt and shame because they know it's wrong. See this as an opportunity - an opportunity for them to have that burden lifted! "Sin wants to remain unknown. It shuns the light. In the darkness of the unexpressed it poisons the whole being of a person. This can happen even in the midst of a pious community. In confession the light of the Gospel breaks into the darkness and seclusion of the heart." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
If you find a vault app...
Don't automatically assume your son/daughter is using the app. Maybe they've downloaded it but aren't using it.
Start a conversation about it. Require them to put in the password so you can see what is or isn't in it.
If they have something hidden, prepare for them to be terrified at this moment.
They will likely accuse you of not trusting them. Have a discussion about that. Is it an issue of distrust or helpful accountability because you care?
Remember that this is a modern way of hiding things. Did you ever hide something from your parents and get caught? Share your story with them and the lessons you learned. It's even better if it's funny in hindsight!
Reassure your child of your love for them. We had two anonymous questions at schools this year from students who worry that their parents hate them. They need your reassurance that you still love them even when they've messed up.
Don't overreact with your emotions or your consequences. One student I knew had gotten in so much trouble for his previous poor phone choices that he no longer felt like he could talk with his parents when he was struggling again.
Consider switching to a Bark Phone or a similar phone. See this Worth Your Time from last November.
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