You must be at least 13 years old to register for and use WhatsApp and due to the issues that can arise, particularly around groups chats, we strongly recommend that your child avoids using WhatsApp until they are older. There are many features of WhatsApp that could prove harmful for children. Firstly, the ‘Chat Lock’ feature provides extra security by allowing users to protect specific conversations with a PIN or biometric authentication. However, it has the potential to be exploited by online predators, raising safeguarding concerns. Additionally, ‘Add Everyone’ group chats present another significant issue; these groups can accommodate up to 512 members, leading to exposure to inappropriate content without the ability to control who joins. By enabling ‘Group Chat Invite Approval’ in privacy settings, unwanted group additions can be prevented, promoting greater control of online interactions. Other features such as ‘View Once Media’ allow for one-time viewing of shared media, which could encourage some to send inappropriate or risky content. As well as this, the option to edit messages within a 15-minute window can enable changes to harmful content post-sending.
