LINE
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A messaging app whose 'find by ID, QR, or shake' features let strangers add your kid as a contact unless they're switched off.
| Minimum age | 13 |
|---|---|
| Strangers can contact | No |
| Location sharing | No |
| Disappearing messages | |
| Parental visibility | Limited |
LINE is a major messaging app (huge in Japan and Southeast Asia) with chats, calls, a Snapchat-style timeline, and games. The contact risk is concrete: ID search, QR codes, and 'shake to add nearby' let strangers find and add your child unless those discovery features are disabled. It also carries in-app purchases and a content feed that isn't age-filtered.
Privacy & Safety:
- Open Settings > Privacy and confirm who can contact you and add you as a friend
- Enable "Letter Sealing" for encrypted messages (Settings > Privacy > Letter Sealing)
- Review and manage your friend list regularly
- Be cautious with location sharing; disable unless necessary
- Turn off the "Home" feed or review it periodically to control what content you see
Contact Control:
- Adjust "Add me as friend" settings to "By ID search only" or "Friends of friends" to limit stranger contact
- Disable or monitor "LINE VOOM" if available in your region to limit exposure to algorithmic content feeds
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