'Tinder for teens': New app aimed at young people prompts pedophile warning

A new app called Yellow, described as a "Tinder for teens", is exploding in popularity despite warnings it's providing a haven for pedophiles.

Yellow is marketed at children - but it's also attracting adults.

Cyber safety experts say it's not the only app causing alarm, and children as young as six are being exposed to pornography.

Just like Tinder, users match up with the swipe of a finger, letting them swap texts and naked photos with strangers.

It takes less than 90 seconds to create a profile and experts say there is nothing to stop a pedophile from altering their date of birth and being led straight to a live video chat with an underage girl.

"There's nothing stopping anyone from going online and pretending to be somebody else, and these kids are too young to deal with that," concerned parent Brett Howe said.

Cyber safety experts are working with police on three other apps, called Spot A Friend, Meet Me and Kik, which are used by children as young as six or seven.

"I opened an app account and posed as a 14-year-old girl," cyber safety campaigner Katie Went said. "Within about 10 seconds I had about four chat requests come up from random people.

"Some of the images were blurred and if you revealed them it was an explicit photo of private parts, and yeah, it was just revolting."

There are steps parents can take, including disabling the location services and public chat settings on these apps - but only if you know your child is using the app in the first place.

If you or someone you know is suffering from sexual or domestic abuse, don't suffer in silence, call 1800 RESPECT any time of day or night.