Is Rakuten Viber Messenger safe for kids?
Worth watching
Secure messaging app with good defaults; fine for teens with parental awareness of group/community features.
How that verdict changes by age
Not recommended · Below the app's own minimum age (10+)
Handle with care · Strangers can message your child
| Minimum age | 10 |
|---|---|
| Strangers can contact | Yes |
| Location sharing | No |
| Disappearing messages | Yes |
| Parental visibility | Limited |
What to do
Not recommended for under 10. Supervised use 10-12. Watch closely 13-15 for group chat and community exposure. Fine for 16+. Monitor who your child connects with and review privacy settings, as the app allows discovery of public channels and bots.
Check Rakuten Viber Messenger against your kid’s other appsTakes about a minute →
What it actually is
Rakuten Viber is a free messaging and calling app that encrypts chats and calls by default. It supports text, voice, video, stickers, and disappearing messages, plus group chats up to 250 members, public communities, and AI chatbots. Like similar apps (Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp), it's designed for connection but relies on users to manage privacy boundaries.
Key Settings to Review
- End-to-End Encryption: Enabled by default for 1-on-1 and group chats. No action needed, but confirm it's active in settings.
- Disappearing Messages: Under chat settings, you can enable per-message timers (10 seconds to 1 day). Teach your child this is for ephemeral content, not for hiding misbehavior.
- Profile Visibility & Discovery: Check who can find your child's profile. Disable public visibility if you want to limit random contact.
- Group Memberships: Review the groups and communities your child has joined. Viber Communities can be public and moderated by third parties.
- Viber Out (Paid Calling): Disable or restrict access to this paid feature to avoid unexpected charges.
- Contacts Access: Review which contacts can reach your child. You can block or mute unwanted contacts.
Next: check Rakuten Viber Messenger against your kid's other apps →
Other apps to know about
Tubi: Movies & Live TV
Worth watchingFree streaming service with a massive library; parental controls are minimal, so content curation falls to parents.
BAND - App for all groups
Worth watchingGroup messaging app for families and teams; limited privacy risks if used within closed circles.
YouTube
Worth watchingThe recommended videos are the problem — the algorithm will walk your child somewhere you didn't intend.
Updated October 2026
Spot something wrong? Submit a correction →