App Guide

Text Burner

Name: Burner

Owned By: Ad Hoc Labs, Inc.

Category: Utilities

Operating System: IOS 

Available for download: Yes

Desktop version: Yes

Approximate release date: 2018

Age Rating*: Rated 4+

Brief Description*: Burner is the market leading private phone number app — a second line for calling, texting, and picture messaging in everyday situations. Did you know that your personal info is attached to your phone number and easily searchable online? Every time you give out your real number, you risk exposing your personal information. Only give your number to people you trust. For everyone else, there’s a burner.

*Information from the App Store

  • Access to your photo gallery

    You can send picture messages on Burner.

  • Access to contacts (on the device)

    Users don’t connect their contacts on Burner.

  • Anonymous posting (posting without a username or other identifiers)

    Each post and message is connected to a username or other identifier.

  • Business Accounts (used for business)

    Businesses as a whole may not use the Burner app, but individuals such as company recruiters may use Burner to avoid using their personal phone number.

  • Ability to text and call

    Users can text and call with the Burner app from a fake phone number.

  • Cyberbullying opportunities

    Individuals can use a burner phone number app for cyberbullying as the recipient won’t know who the phone number is.

  • Inappropriate content

    While the intent of this app is not to share inappropriate content, users can engage in these behaviors from a burner phone number. Youth can also engage in behaviors because there’s no parental monitoring.

  • Collects user’s information

    Burner may collect data that is linked to your identity including purchases, contacts, identifiers, diagnostics, contact info, user content, and usage data.

Reviewed By: Ryan

There are many uses for a burner phone number: online dating, selling items on Craigslist, or for a home business. However, if you see a burner phone number app on a youth’s device, realize this could be used for cyberbullying others or engaging in behaviors without parental monitoring.

Burner isn’t the only app that will provide a “burner” phone number for you to use.  There are many for Android and Apple devices. These will constantly be changing so I will not try to keep you up to date with all of the various apps. I am warning the reader to be aware of the function of a burner phone number app.  Read this article to learn more about burner apps.

I would not recommend burner apps for anyone under 18 years old.