How we decided on WhatsApp

Our safety checks

WhatsApp fails 3 of our 7 safety checks. We apply the same strict rules to every app and game.

1. Could we confirm every fact?

   ✗ No

   We couldn’t confirm 1 fact below, so it counts as a no. Rule 1

2. Is your child old enough for the official ratings?

   ! Only from 14

   Rated 14+ by Common Sense Media. Rule 2

3. Can you stop strangers contacting your child?

   ✗ Not confirmed

   WhatsApp’s new parental controls let parents decide who can contact their child, locked with a PIN, but WhatsApp says they’re rolling out gradually and may not be available in your region yet. Rule 3Source

4. Is every risk under control once settings are on?

   ✓ Yes

   No risk stays high once every control is on. Rule 4

5. Is its child-safety record clear?

   ✗ No

   A New Mexico jury found that Meta, which owns WhatsApp, hid what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its apps, and a court ordered it to pay $567 million more. Meta is appealing. Rule 5Source

6. Can you stop all spending?

   ✓ Yes

   WhatsApp has very little to buy, and any purchase goes through Apple or Google, which let parents require approval for every purchase. Rule 6Source

7. Is everything checked before children see it?

   ! No

   Messages are private and encrypted, so nobody checks them before your child sees them, and Channels and Status show posts from people and brands they don’t know. So the best we can say is “only with conditions”. Rule 7