Rated Watch · How we rate
End-to-end encrypted messaging that's safer than SMS — but only as safe as who your child is talking to.
| Minimum age | Not specified |
|---|---|
| Strangers can contact | with settings |
| Location sharing | No |
| Disappearing messages | Yes |
| Parental visibility | None |
WhatsApp is a Meta-owned messaging app with end-to-end encryption, so messages can't be read by WhatsApp, Meta, or anyone intercepting the connection. It requires a phone number, which limits random stranger contact compared to Telegram or Discord. The main risk is group chats — anyone in a group can add your child to another group without permission, exposing them to unknown contacts — and disappearing messages can be set on any conversation. As of March 2026, WhatsApp offers Parent-Managed Accounts for under-13s: a parent sets up and controls the child's account from their own phone, limited to messaging and calling. It's the dominant messenger in many countries, so it's common for teens with international family.
Privacy settings
- WhatsApp → Settings → Privacy
- Last Seen and Online → My Contacts
- Profile Photo → My Contacts
- About → My Contacts
- Status → My Contacts
- Read Receipts → your call (turning off is more private)
- Groups → My Contacts (critical — prevents strangers from adding them to groups)
View their groups
- WhatsApp → tap the chat list
- Groups appear with a group icon
- Tap any group → tap the group name → see all members
- If there are unknown numbers (no contact name), ask about it
Check disappearing messages
- Settings → Privacy → Default Message Timer
- If this is set to anything other than Off, all new conversations auto-delete
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.
CapCut
Watch riskPowerful free video editor for teens; watch for TikTok/ByteDance data practices.
Fewer teens post here now, but Messenger and Marketplace still expose them to adult strangers — and the account quietly becomes their login across the web.
Fizz
Watch riskAn anonymous feed gated to a single school — anonymity plus a closed real-world community is a targeted-bullying engine.
Fortnite
Watch riskMassively popular multiplayer shooter; fun for teens, requires active parental oversight for younger kids.
Updated May 2026
Spot something wrong? Submit a correction →