WASHINGTON — An app developed in Maryland could help you find out whether your kids are involved in sexting or cyberbullying.
The PocketGuardian app promises to alert you if it suspects that bullying text messages or revealing images have been sent or received by your child’s phone via text message.
It was developed by two Maryland dads: Jason France, of Colesville, and James Ryan, of Randallstown.
The spark came after the two discussed the case of a teenage girl who took her own life after her nude photo was shared among her classmates.
France tells WTOP that PocketGuardian will not reveal to parents the exact content of their child’s texts.
“We feel that it is more beneficial to alert the parent that something is going on, so that the parent can begin the conversation with their child, while also maintaining the parent-child trust.”
France says the app hones in on more than single words.
“We’re not necessarily looking for the presence of a keyword, more so the presence of context and phrases.”
What about those slang or code words kids use?
“Our proprietary software is constantly learning the latest nuances in speech to keep up with the changing terms that kids are using,” France says.
The app is in beta testing now, with a release planned at the end of the summer. France says the app will likely cost $3.99 a month.
You can sign up here to be notified when PocketGuardian becomes available.
