A 31-year-old man stands accused of paying a 9-year-old girl from Long Island for sexually explicit photos and videos. Prosecutors said he contacted the girl via social media. In the wake of his arrest, News 12 asked an expert for tips on how to keep kids safe online.

“There are safe ways to use apps by putting into place parental controls and monitoring your child when they’re in those environments," said Laura Ahearn, executive director of the Crime Victims Center. “Parents need to be sure that they’re explaining to their child that that kid you’re talking to may not be a child. So if there’s anything that is said or done that feels wrong, they need to let their parent know right away.”

Ahearn warns parents to be aware that there are “literally sexual predators out there trolling on apps and games.”

Lance Ulanoff is TechRadar’s editor at large. He says if parents have an iCloud family account, they can control what children can and can’t access.