{"id":1054,"date":"2019-04-06T19:33:30","date_gmt":"2019-04-06T19:33:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/?p=1054"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T17:00:00","slug":"Bogus-'Sex-Trafficking-Site-Tracker'-Warning-Going-Viral-on-Facebook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/?p=1054","title":{"rendered":"Bogus &#8216;Sex Trafficking Site Tracker&#8217; Warning Going Viral on Facebook"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>According to a post that is currently circulating rapidly on Facebook, you should not follow links in a text message that claims that &#8220;someone complimented you&#8221;. \u00a0 <\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- HS Net Top Content Responsive --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-0355887770822260\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"4870821038\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p>The post warns that the links open a sex trafficking site that puts a tracker on your phone. It further suggests that girls are going missing as a result of this supposed tracker.<\/p>\n<p>However, there is no evidence of any kind to support the claim that the links are associated with sex trafficking. There are no credible news or police reports that indicate that the messages are linked to sex trafficking, abductions, or missing people.<\/p>\n<p>The links in the message open iOS and Android versions of an app called &#8220;IRL&#8221;. \u00a0 A June 2018 Newsweek report about the app <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/irl-app-what-text-why-who-sent-got-979555\">notes<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The app&#8217;s name is \u00a0an acronym for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153in real life,&#8221; and it&#8217;s popular among teenagers who use it to foster relationships with one another in person. The \u00a0app&#8217;s website says \u00a0it&#8217;s meant to make it easy for friends to send each other invitations to hang out in real life. The goal is to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153solve the technology addiction&#8221; and bring people together in the real world instead of over technology\u00e2\u20ac\u201dby using more technology.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>And, a February 2018 CNBC news report about the app <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2018\/02\/21\/irl-anti-social-app-addresses-teen-tech-addiction.html\">explains<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><a class=\"inline_asset\" title=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/irl-lets-hang\/id1332596741?mt=8\" href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/irl-lets-hang\/id1332596741?mt=8\">IRL<\/a> \u00a0gives users a way to easily send, receive and accept invitations to offline activities, whether that&#8217;s a group workout, a movie date, or just chilling at home. Unlike Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, this app only connects users to a known, and safe, inner circle of friends already in their phone contacts.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>An<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irl.co\/faq\"> FAQ on the app&#8217;s website<\/a> notes that \u00a0&#8220;IRL aims to solve technology addiction by bringing people together in real life&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>There is no indication that the app is malicious.<\/p>\n<p>However, the app has caused confusion among users and has been accused of spamming because many people have received unexpected text messages like the one shown in the circulating warning.<\/p>\n<p>The app makers claim that the text messages are only ever sent by friends who have installed the app and are not spam. \u00a0 Another FAQ on the app&#8217;s website <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irl.co\/faq\">explains<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>You received a text message because one of three reasons: one of your friends (who has your phone number in their contacts list) added you as a friend on the app, invited you to something on the app, or nominated you through the app.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>However, because users of the app can send &#8220;nominations&#8221; anonymously, recipients may not immediately realise that the message came from a friend. The site <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irl.co\/faq\">notes<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Nominations were designed to be anonymous, so that people would feel more comfortable giving out compliments without worrying about being judged. We want everyone to get more compliments!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But, understandably, because the messages are \u00a0anonymous, many recipients will likely dismiss them as spam or scams. Users can apparently &#8220;request to reveal the name of the nominator in the app&#8221;. \u00a0 But, of course, a lot of recipients will have already rejected the message as spam well before they get to the point of installing the app and requesting the name of the sender. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\"\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\n     data-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-0355887770822260\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"9162856233\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p> The app makers insist that they do not automatically send messages to all of your contacts and any messages you receive are from people who are already on the app and already have your contact number. \u00a0 Nevertheless, the app has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deseretnews.com\/article\/900020269\/this-new-app-may-be-spamming-your-phone-heres-what-you-should-know.html\">been accused of using spammy tactics<\/a> and aggressive marketing techniques.<\/p>\n<p>And, the app <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irl.co\/privacy-policy\">does collect a good deal of personal information<\/a> from users. \u00a0 It also asks users to enable location tracking and provide access to contacts. But, so do a great many similar apps.<\/p>\n<p>Before installing this or any similar app ( or allowing a child in your care to install it), you should certainly take the time to understand what the app does, what information it collects, and what privacy risks using it entails.<\/p>\n<p>But, all that aside, the claims that the app is somehow connected to sex trafficking and that its users are being abducted or going missing is simply nonsense.<\/p>\n<p>By all means remain cautious when installing and using apps. But, spreading this nonsensical warning will help nobody and will do nothing to help keep people safe online.<\/p>\n<h2>An example of the warning message:<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/trafficing-app-warning-070918-2.jpg\" data-rel=\"penci-gallery-image-content\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"21591\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/bogus-sex-trafficking-site-tracker-warning-going-viral-on-facebook\/trafficing-app-warning-070918-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/trafficing-app-warning-070918-2.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"600,698\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"trafficing-app-warning-070918-2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/trafficing-app-warning-070918-2-258x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/trafficing-app-warning-070918-2.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-21591\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/trafficing-app-warning-070918-2.jpg\" alt=\"Six Trafficking Site Bogus Warning\" width=\"600\" height=\"698\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/trafficing-app-warning-070918-2.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/trafficing-app-warning-070918-2-258x300.jpg 258w, https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/trafficing-app-warning-070918-2-500x582.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/trafficing-app-warning-070918-2-585x681.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Attention all girls \u00a0if you get this do not \u00a0click the link its a sex trafficking site that puts a tracker on your phone girls are going missing this is not a joke.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- Third Content Ad Responsive --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-0355887770822260\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"1909104632\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n<div align=\"center\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- HS Net Bottom AdLinks --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-0355887770822260\" data-ad-slot=\"1358951439\" data-ad-format=\"link\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div>\n<p><\/br><\/br> Original Source : <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/bogus-sex-trafficking-site-tracker-warning-going-viral-on-facebook\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.hoax-slayer.net\/bogus-sex-trafficking-site-tracker-warning-going-viral-on-facebook\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to a post that is currently circulating rapidly on Facebook, you should not follow links in a text message that claims that &#8220;someone complimented you&#8221;. \u00a0 The post warns that the links open a sex trafficking site that puts a tracker on your phone. It further suggests that girls are going missing as a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6890,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hoax-inggris"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1054"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1054"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1054\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6890"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syyhoaxanalyzer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}