Facebook Messenger

What is Facebook Messenger?

Facebook Messenger is Meta’s messaging app, linked to Facebook but also available as a standalone app. It offers text, voice, and video calls, group chats, stories, games, and payments. Personal conversations are end-to-end encrypted by default. There is also Messenger Kids — a separate, parent-supervised version for children under 13. Accounts for users aged 13–17 have restricted privacy and safety settings by default, which parents can manage through Meta’s Family Center.

Age limit: 13 years (Messenger Kids is available for children under 13 with parental approval).

Why do kids like it?

• Group chats for school projects and friend groups. A practical way to collaborate and stay in touch.
• Video calls. Easy to call friends and family with video.
• Games within chat. Built-in games that can be played right inside the conversation.
• Family connection. Many use it because their parents are already on Facebook.
• Messenger Kids. Parents see it as a safer option for younger children.

What are the real risks?

• Contact from strangers. Message requests from people outside a child’s friend list arrive in a separate inbox that children may not notice.
• Group chats with unknown people. Children can be added to group conversations where they do not know all participants.
• Phishing and scams. Links in messages — including from hacked accounts of known contacts — may be attempts to steal information or deceive.
• Disappearing messages. Vanish mode can be used to hide conversations, though recipients can still take screenshots.
• Data collection. Messenger collects significant amounts of user data, including contacts, location, and usage patterns.

Settings to check

1. Restrict who can message your child: Settings → Privacy → Message Delivery → set to “Friends only.”
2. Review active sessions: Settings → Security and login → Active Sessions → log out of any unrecognised devices.
3. Set up Family Center controls: Meta Family Center → select your teen’s account → review messaging, privacy, and screen time settings.
4. Set up Messenger Kids for younger children: download the Messenger Kids app → sign in with your Facebook account → approve contacts and set sleep mode from the parental dashboard.

How to talk about it

“Who do you chat with on Messenger? Is there anyone you don’t know well?”

“Have you ever been added to a group chat where you didn’t know everyone?”

“What would you do if someone you didn’t recognise sent you a message or a link?”

Last reviewed: April 2026