Parents
Staying Safe on WhatsApp
Keeping your child safe online
Setting privacy and safety controls
WhatsApp is a messaging app where your child can chat with friends and family, join group chats, and create or follow channels. While it can be a convenient way to stay connected, there are still risks involved. Understanding the controls available can help you guide them towards a safer online experience.
How using WhatsApp affect your child?
WhatsApp is mainly designed for private messaging. Anyone who has your child’s phone number can contact them or add them to a group chat. As a result, they may receive messages that:
Are sent from impersonation accounts pretending to be someone your child knows
Contain harassing, abusive or threatening language
Ask for personal information, photos or verification codes
Are sent from unknown numbers that try to start a conversation with your child
Because messages are private, it may be harder for your child to deal with situations like harassment or unwanted contact.
WhatsApp also allows users to follow or create channels to receive updates or share content with a wider audience. These channels are public, one-way broadcasts that appear in the Updates tab, separate from private chats.
If your child follows a channel, they may be exposed to misleading or inappropriate content, or be directed to phishing websites through shared links.
If your child creates a channel, their updates may be viewed by a wide audience, including people they do not know.
If messages or channel content start to make your child uncomfortable or unsafe, it may be time to review their settings with them.
How can you protect your child on WhatsApp?
The minimum age to use WhatsApp independently in Singapore is 13 years old. If your child is under 13 years old, consider setting up a parent-managed account, which allows you to manage their privacy settings directly.
You can also keep your child safe by reviewing settings together and agreeing on what safe usage looks like in your family.
Go through interaction settings together
Together, conduct a Privacy Checkup and review the personal data visible on your child’s profile and manage who can interact with them. You and your child can decide on:
Who can see their last seen and online status, profile photo, about information and links they share on their profile
Who can add them to group chats
Whether to limit how others can share their messages, photos and videos outside of WhatsApp
Whether they should create a channel and what is appropriate to share if they do
Whether to silence unknown callers
Whether there are group chats they should leave or phone numbers they should block
Whether there are channels they should unfollow or report
What else can you do when something does not feel right?
Sometimes, certain content or interactions may cause your child to feel uncomfortable and unsafe.
When that happens, let your child know that:
They do not have to respond or explain themselves
Saving screenshots can help if you or your child wants to report harmful behaviour
Blocking or reporting is okay
Talking to you or another trusted adult can help them figure out next steps
Getting support early can prevent things from getting worse
Where can you learn more about WhatsApp’s safety tools?
Visit these resources to find out more about how to help your child stay safe on WhatsApp:
WhatsApp Help Centre: Find out more about WhatsApp’s features, managing your child’s account and protecting their privacy
Parent’s Guide: Explore tips to help your child navigate WhatsApp safely
You can also explore other online safety resources on our website for more advice on keeping your child safe online.