Parents Learn About Teen Social Media Dangers

BROOMALL, Pa. (CBS) -- Hours after news broke that two dozen men, including a firefighter and officer, were arrested in a New Jersey sting operation, a sea of concerned parents gathered in Broomall to learn how to protect their children in a cyber world.

"I don't understand how somebody that is supposed to be there to protect your children is using something like that to harm them," said Jane Rogiani, one parent who attended Tuesday's forum.

Two Dozen Alleged Child Predators, Including Police Sergeant, Arrested In New Jersey

"The moment you give that child that application or you give that child that phone or a tablet or a computer you've placed your child into the world that I work in," speaker and cybersecurity investigator Michele Stuart told Eyewitness News.

Stuart says that world can be scary. The New Jersey sting focused on particular apps:  Kik, Whisper, Grindr and Skout.

"Learn how these apps work. Understand how predators can go into those applications and request a picture from your child because it's not difficult," she said. "Go to Google and put in parents guide for Snapchat. Parents guide for Tinder because there's guides out there that will specifically tell you what the application does how to monitor the application or how to secure that application for your child"

Stuart partnered with the Pennsylvania Governor's Office of Homeland Security for the talk and will travel to Lancaster on Wednesday.

Police say the suspects that were arrested in New Jersey used social media and chat apps to arrange for sex with young girls and boys, not knowing they were actually communicating with undercover officers posing as children.