Signal
What is Signal?
Signal is a messaging app run by the non-profit Signal Foundation. It supports text, voice and video calls, groups, stories, and disappearing messages. Conversations are always end-to-end encrypted. [1]
A phone number is still required to register. By default, people who do not already have that number in their contacts do not see it on Signal. Optional usernames let someone start a conversation without first being given the phone number. [2]
Age limit: Signal sets a minimum age of 13, but says a person may need to be older to use the service without parental approval where local law requires it. [1]
Why do kids like it?
- Private conversations by default. No extra switch is needed to encrypt a chat.
- A simple interface. Messaging and calls are central, without a public recommendation feed.
- Groups and stories. Friends, relatives, and school groups can communicate in familiar formats.
- Disappearing messages. A chat can remove messages after a chosen period.
What are the real risks?
- Encryption does not make every contact safe. A recipient can still copy, photograph, or share what they receive.
- Disappearing messages can reduce context. They can make it harder to revisit a worrying conversation, and they do not guarantee every copy disappears.
- Unknown people can send requests. Message requests let the recipient accept, delete, or block the sender. [3]
- Group links can travel beyond the intended audience. A link shared elsewhere can bring unfamiliar people to a group, depending on its approval settings.
- An unfamiliar linked device can retain account access. A linked computer or tablet can continue receiving Signal messages until it is unlinked from the account. [5]
Settings to check
- Review phone-number privacy: Open Settings → Privacy → Phone Number, then choose who may see the number and who may find the account by it. [2]
- Create or review a username: Open the profile in Settings → Username. Choose one that does not reveal a full name, school, or birth year. [2]
- Handle message requests carefully: Open an unfamiliar request and choose Accept, Delete, or Block without replying first. [3]
- Block unwanted contact: Open the conversation or profile menu → Block. Signal supports blocking a number, username, or group. [4]
- Review linked devices: Open Settings → Linked Devices, and remove any device the child does not recognise. [5]
- Choose disappearing-message defaults: Open Settings → Privacy → Default Timer for New Chats, then select the default duration for new conversations. [6]
How to talk about it
“What makes a conversation feel private, and what could still happen after a message arrives?”
“How would you decide whether to accept a message request from someone new?”
“When might disappearing messages be useful, and when might keeping context help?”
Last reviewed: September 2026