What is WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is a messaging app owned by Meta (Facebook). It offers end-to-end encrypted text messages, voice and video calls, group chats, status updates and file sharing. WhatsApp is the dominant messaging app in Norway and Europe — most people use it daily.
Age rating: 16 in the EU/Norway (under GDPR). Elsewhere the limit is 13, but in Europe it is 16.
Why do kids like it?
- Everyone uses it. Especially in Norway and Europe, WhatsApp is the standard for messaging. Not having it means being left out.
- Group chats for everything. School, friends, sports teams, family — everything is organised through WhatsApp groups.
- Free international communication. Messages, photos and calls work worldwide at no extra cost.
- Voice messages. Faster than typing, more personal than text — children love them.
- Simple to use. Minimalist design that everyone understands.
- Parents use it too. Because parents are already on WhatsApp, it feels “approved” and safe.
What are the real risks?
- Group chats with strangers. Anyone with a link can join a group. Children can be added to groups they don’t know.
- Forwarded content. Misinformation, inappropriate images and chain messages spread rapidly through forwarding.
- No real content moderation. Because messages are encrypted, WhatsApp cannot see or moderate the content. What is shared in a group stays there.
- Cyberbullying in groups. Group chats make it easy to bully, exclude or create groups about someone without adults knowing.
- Screenshots and forwarding. Anything can be screenshotted and forwarded — including private content.
- Location sharing. Live location can be shared in chats, and children don’t always think about what that means.
- Unknown contacts. Anyone with your child’s phone number can send a message.
- Disappearing messages create a false sense of privacy. The feature deletes messages automatically, but the recipient can save them first.
Settings to check
- Privacy settings: Go to Settings → Privacy → set profile photo, last seen and about to “My contacts”.
- Two-step verification: Settings → Account → Two-step verification → enable. Adds extra security to the account.
- Block and report contacts: Open the chat → tap the contact name → “Block” or “Report”. Teach your child to use this.
- Group privacy: Settings → Privacy → Groups → set to “My contacts”. This means only people in the contact list can add your child to groups.
- Disable live location: Make sure your child is not sharing live location in chats. Check active shares under Settings → Privacy → Live location.
- Disappearing messages — be aware: The feature exists, but remember it does not prevent screenshots. Talk to your child about this.
- Read receipts — be aware: The blue ticks can create social pressure. Your child can choose to turn them off under Settings → Privacy.
- Check linked devices: Settings → Linked devices. Verify that no unknown devices have access to the account.
How to talk about it
“What group chats are you in? Are there any where you don’t know everyone?”
“Have you ever been added to a group with people you don’t know? What did you do?”
“Have you received forwarded messages or images that made you uncomfortable?”
“Even though messages are encrypted, people can take screenshots and forward them. Think about that before you send something private.”
Last reviewed: March 2026