LINE
Watch riskRated Watch · How we rate
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 | No |
| 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
Other apps to know about
Azar: Chat, Meet Friends
Watch riskStranger-chat app with moderation; risky for under-16, monitor closely for older teens.
Bluesky Social
Watch riskA Twitter-style app with unusually strong user-side moderation controls — but it's public and open by default, with adult content present.
Clapper: Video, Live, Chat
Watch riskA TikTok alternative that markets itself on 'no censorship' and skews adult — fewer content guardrails, more strangers, real-money tipping.
Updated June 2026
Spot something wrong? Submit a correction →