Police investigate use of ‘ooVoo’ app at Lansdowne Elementary

Lexington police are investigating allegations that someone contacted several Lansdowne Elementary students using the social media app called “ooVoo” and made inappropriate comments and requested pictures or videos of the children, principal Jennifer Fish told parents last week

Lexington police spokeswoman Brenna Angel said Tuesday that there is an open investigation. “We don’t believe the suspect is in Lexington and we are still working to identify the individual,” Angel said.

Fish, the principal, sent a message to parents via email.

“Please have a conversation with your son or daughter about the seriousness of Internet safety and the importance of not accepting friend requests from people they do not know,” Fish said. “Although the Internet is a wonderful resource, it can also be dangerous. There are predators who use the anonymity of social media to take advantage of trusting young people. It is critical that children understand that the people they meet online may not be who they seem. Please check your student’s phone and see if they have the ‘ooVoo’ app.”

Fish asked parents to check the messages there and if they saw anything suspicious to report it to Lexington police at 859-258-3600.

“Do not delete anything you find, as this could be used as evidence for the police,” Fish said.

In March, a newspaper in the United Kingdom reported a similar incident involving students at a school there.

The ooVoo website said it is a video chat and message app. ooVoo users are required to be 13 years old. Sixty-five percent of its users are younger than 25, the website said.

Valarie Honeycutt Spears: 859-231-3409, @vhspears

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 12:22 PM with the headline "Police investigate use of ‘ooVoo’ app at Lansdowne Elementary."