Apps With Private Messaging - What UK Parents Should Know
Users can send one-to-one private messages to each other.
Why it matters
Private messages are a common route for unwanted contact, because nobody else can see the conversation. Someone who first appears in a public space may ask to move to a private chat.
What to check
Check who can message your child (friends only, or anyone) and make sure they know how to block and report.
Apps with this feature
Features are based on what each of our app guides says. Apps change often, so check the app's own settings too.
Minecraft Online Play Safety Guide
Official age 7+ · We suggest 8+
On Minecraft: Java Edition multiplayer servers, players can send each other private messages using the /msg or /tell chat commands.
From our Minecraft guide iMessage Safety Guide
No minimum age · We suggest 10+
Children use iMessage for daily texting with friends and family, sharing photos and videos, sending stickers and Memoji, and joining group chats
From our iMessage guide Roblox Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 5+ · We suggest 10+
you can turn experience chat and direct chat off and set friends chat to trusted friends or no one.
From our Roblox guide Setting: Chat SettingsWhere: Settings → Parental controls → your child → Settings you manage → Communication
Fortnite Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 12+ · We suggest 12+
Players can send direct messages and group text chats to their friends in Fortnite (on under-13 Cabined Accounts, free text chat stays off until a parent consents).
From our Fortnite guide BeReal Safety Guide
Official age 13+ · We suggest 13+
parents should be aware of location data, friend requests from strangers, and the direct messaging feature.
From our BeReal guide Epic Games & Fortnite Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 13+
Players can send direct messages and group text chats to their friends in Fortnite, and these conversations also appear in the Epic Games Store and Epic Games mobile apps.
From our Epic Games guide Facebook Messenger Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 13+
Controls who can send messages directly versus who gets filtered into message requests.
From our Messenger guide Setting: Message DeliveryWhere: Settings → Privacy & Safety → Message Delivery
Group Chat Apps — Safety Overview
Official age 13+ · We suggest 13+
this prevents unknown users from sending direct messages to your child
From our Group Chat Apps guide Setting: Message Requests from StrangersWhere: Varies by app — typically in Privacy or Safety settings
LINE, KakaoTalk & WeChat Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 13+
All three are 'super-apps' that combine messaging, voice and video calling, a social feed, an in-app browser, mini-programs and games, and an integrated payments wallet.
From our LINE / KakaoTalk / WeChat guide Marco Polo Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 13+
Instead of texting or video-calling, users record short videos and send them to a contact or group.
From our Marco Polo guide Meta Quest VR Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 10+ · We suggest 13+
Friends in VR can join your child's parties and DMs across apps.
From our Meta Quest guide Setting: Friend RequestsWhere: Meta Horizon app > Family Center > your teen's supervision settings (menu names change, so check the app)
Microsoft Teams Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 13+
Teams also has private chat features that pupils use to communicate with each other
From our Microsoft Teams guide Pinterest Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 13+
Pinterest does have a messaging feature, but it is not prominently used
From our Pinterest guide Signal Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 13+
once someone has your child's phone number, they can contact them via Signal and messages will be end-to-end encrypted
From our Signal guide Spotify Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 13+
Spotify includes social features that allow users to see what friends are listening to, create collaborative playlists and send messages
From our Spotify guide Steam Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 13+
Children communicate with friends via Steam chat and may join community groups or forums for games they enjoy.
From our Steam guide Instagram Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 14+
Direct messages allow photos, videos, and 'view once' or 'allow replay' messages that disappear after being seen
From our Instagram guide Setting: Message ControlsWhere: Settings and activity → Teen Account settings → Who can interact with you → Messages
Snapchat Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 14+
Prevents strangers from sending direct messages or snaps to your child.
From our Snapchat guide Setting: Contact MeWhere: Settings → App & Privacy → Contact Me
WhatsApp Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 14+
WhatsApp is relatively contained for one-to-one messaging with people your child knows
From our WhatsApp guide Discord Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 15+
Direct messages allow private one-to-one or small group conversations outside of servers.
From our Discord guide Setting: Direct Messages from Server MembersWhere: User Settings → Content & Social → Social permissions → Direct messages (older Discord pages call this Allow direct messages from server members, under Privacy & Safety)
Facebook Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 15+
Users can send private messages from Facebook itself, using Messenger on facebook.com or the Message button on someone's profile, as well as in the separate Messenger app.
From our Facebook guide Lemon8 Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 15+
keep the account private with comments and messages limited to followers
From our Lemon8 guide Setting: Direct MessagesWhere: Profile -> Settings -> Privacy -> Messages
TikTok Parental Controls and Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 15+
from 16 they can use direct messaging
From our TikTok guide Setting: Direct MessagesWhere: Family Pairing > select your teen's account > Direct messages (your teen's own copy: Profile > Menu ☰ > Settings and privacy > Privacy > Direct messages)
Tumblr Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 15+
direct messages are restricted to followed blogs
From our Tumblr guide Setting: Direct MessagesWhere: Settings -> Privacy -> Who can message you
Twitch Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 15+
Twitch is live and interactive: viewers chat publicly alongside the stream, can receive private messages
From our Twitch guide Setting: Block Whispers from StrangersWhere: Settings → Security and Privacy → Privacy → Block Whispers from Strangers
Wattpad Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 15+
Stories have public comments and writers receive private messages.
From our Wattpad guide Setting: Private MessagesWhere: Settings -> Privacy -> Who can message you
Anonymous Messaging Add-ons: Sendit, YOLO & Tellonym
Official age 13+ · We suggest 16+
Friends and strangers tap it to send messages without their name.
From our Anonymous Add-ons guide Bluesky Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 16+
Limits DMs to accounts the child has chosen to follow, blocking unsolicited messages from strangers.
From our Bluesky guide Setting: Direct MessagesWhere: Settings -> Privacy and Security -> Direct Messages
Depop Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 16+
Depop does have a messaging feature for buyers and sellers to communicate about items.
From our Depop guide LinkedIn Safety Guide
Official age 16+ · We suggest 16+
LinkedIn has its own direct-messaging and InMail system
From our LinkedIn guide Setting: Who can message youWhere: Settings > Communications > Who can reach you
Livestreaming Apps — Safety Overview
Official age 13+ · We suggest 16+
On Twitch, users can send each other private one-to-one messages called whispers, and TikTok offers direct messages to accounts aged 16 and over.
From our Livestreaming Apps guide Mastodon Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 16+ · We suggest 16+
Direct messages on Mastodon are not end-to-end encrypted.
From our Mastodon guide Reddit Safety Guide
Official age 13+ · We suggest 16+
Limits who can send direct messages.
From our Reddit guide Setting: Chat and messagingWhere: Settings > Chat & Messaging > Who can send you chat requests
Strava Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 13+ · We suggest 16+
Strava has direct messaging, and public activities can be commented on
From our Strava guide Viber Safety Guide
Official age 16+ · We suggest 16+
Viber is a messaging app offering encrypted one-to-one and group chats
From our Viber guide X (Twitter) Safety Guide
Official age 13+ · We suggest 16+
Prevents strangers from sending direct messages to your child.
From our X (Twitter) guide Setting: Direct MessagesWhere: Settings > Privacy and Safety > Direct Messages
Zoom Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 16+ · We suggest 16+
The main things to watch for are: calls with people your child does not know well in real life, unsupervised one-to-one calls with adults, and private chat messages during meetings.
From our Zoom guide eBay Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 18+ · We suggest 18+
check any buyer messages together
From our eBay guide Kik Messenger Safety Guide
Official age 18+ · We suggest 18+
Children use Kik to message friends outside of their parents' sight, as messages do not appear on phone bills.
From our Kik guide Monkey App Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 18+ · We suggest 18+
Users can message each other one-to-one in a private chat, and can unfriend or block someone from that chat screen.
From our Monkey guide NGL Safety Guide for Parents — The Anonymous Question App
Official age 18+ · We suggest 18+
anyone who taps it can send them an anonymous message that appears in the NGL app.
From our NGL guide Social Discovery & Friend-Making Apps
Official age 13+ · We suggest 18+
On Wizz, users can send private messages to people they meet in the app; a first message arrives in a separate Requests tab until the recipient accepts it.
From our Social Discovery guide Teen Dating Apps: Grindr, Tinder & Bumble
Official age 18+ · We suggest 18+
A minor who lies about their age can browse and message adult strangers
From our Dating Apps guide Telegram Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 18+ · We suggest 18+
Ordinary Telegram chats are not end-to-end encrypted
From our Telegram guide Vinted Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 18+ · We suggest 18+
The platform involves buyers and sellers exchanging messages, arranging collection or shipping
From our Vinted guide Wizz Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 18+ · We suggest 18+
Teenagers use Wizz to meet new people by swiping through profiles and starting chats.
From our Wizz guide Setting: Who can contact youWhere: In-app profile and privacy settings
Yubo Safety Guide for Parents
Official age 18+ · We suggest 18+
Anyone in a live room can comment, and hosts can message people who show interest
From our Yubo guide
Related risk guides
Other features
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.