You can’t miss the bright green WhatsApp icon on your child’s phone or in the desktop application folder. Like any other app, it can also be hidden behind decoy or vault apps to avoid detection. Often kids will meet someone on one app such as Snapchat or Instagram and move to WhatsApp because they feel its less public and less regulated by parents.

It’s a stealth chatting app. WhatsApp is a popular way to create group chats (up to 256 people) that parents won’t necessarily think to check. Oh, and so far, it’s ad free, which is a plus. It’s easy, it’s fun, it’s free. WhatsApp Messenger lets kids send text messages, videos, photos, and audio messages as well as make video calls to friends without message limits or fees. If you travel internationally, using WhatsApp is a popular way to avoid expensive international calling charges. The big perk: WhatsApp can be used by connecting to any wifi so users can avoid using up minutes or texting fees. It also allows users to make real-time video calls (much like iOS’ FaceTime). WhatsApp is a downloadable app that uses your phone’s internet connection (wifi) to send messages, photos, videos, or files. That’s because they can use the messaging app WhatsApp to talk privately with friends, exchange content and videos, and (hopefully) fly under the parentals’ radar. We may be talking about the TikTok app in our public circles, but there’s another app - just as widely used - that kids are hoping parents’ won’t ask too many questions about.

Whatsapp what is it