Messaging and video chat guide

Content

The instantaneous and sometimes anonymous nature of online chats may be appealing for children and young people, but some users have been known to take advantage of their anonymity on these platforms to use explicit and sexual language or share inappropriate and offensive content. There are also a significant number of users who appear nude or semi-nude on some online video chat platforms. These behaviours are often meant to shock other users, which children and young people may find especially upsetting or confusing. 

Young people may also encounter a significant amount of online hate, radicalisation or extremism depending on who they are connected to. These interactions may be deeply upsetting for children and young people and impact on their mental health and well-being.

Some platforms have measures in place to mitigate these risks but these measures are often inconsistent between platforms. Mitigations on messaging platforms can often depend on whether the user is in a group chat or a direct-messaging chat. As a result, in-platform safety measures should not be solely relied upon. 

You should always check in with your child about the interactions they have on messaging apps and especially online video platforms. If possible, be nearby or in the room with them when they are using these platforms.

Depending on the messaging app, you can also limit who can contact your child to ensure that they are only talking to known contacts. However, it should be acknowledged that these contacts are also capable of sharing inappropriate content.

Connecting with others

A significant risk on both online video chat platforms and messaging apps is online grooming, which targets particularly vulnerable users such as children and young people. Users on these platforms may attempt to establish trust and manipulate individuals. This can include requests for explicit images, personal details or attempts to coerce users into participating in camera-based sexual activities. These requests may also develop into sextortion, which is a form of blackmail where users may threaten to share nude or semi-nude photos and videos to known contacts of the victim. 

Online bullying and harassment are also prevalent on these platforms, as the anonymity provided by online video chat platforms and some messaging apps can encourage some users to engage in insulting or aggressive behaviour. Although many platforms include options to block or report users, harassment can still be a serious issue for many, especially in group chats. 

Fake profiles and catfishing also present a significant risk on platforms that offer more anonymity and profile customisation. Since these platforms allow users to connect with strangers, there is always the risk of encountering someone who misrepresents themselves, either by using fake photographs or those generated through artificial intelligence (AI) or pretending to be someone else in order to manipulate others. These users may initially attempt to gain the trust of their victims, only to later ask for money, personal favours or sensitive information.

Cyber criminals have also been known to use messaging apps and online video chat platforms to engage in phishing. These users may attempt to deceive others into sending money or sharing sensitive personal information. This often involves making a particular situation feel urgent, like creating a fake emergency, to pressure a user to act rather than think about the situation. Alternatively, these users may fabricate a story to coax the user into donating to a cause.

User behaviour

A key risk is the accidental sharing of personal information during chats. Although some platforms allow users to remain anonymous, the fluidity of the conversations may unknowingly encourage users to disclose sensitive details, such as their school or where they live. These details may allow another user with malicious intent to build a profile of the user and track their personal accounts, social media profiles or other online presences. This may be especially harmful for children and young people, who may not fully understand the importance of keeping their personal data to themselves.

The recording and sharing of private chats is another serious risk. While some platforms may warn users that their actions could be recorded or captured by other users, there is always the potential for other users to record or screen shot private conversations without consent. These pictures and videos could then be used for blackmail or edited and shared with other users or posted on social media without the user’s knowledge or permission, contributing to a permanent digital footprint. 

Design, data and costs

A key risk on many messaging apps is the ‘read receipt’, which shows when a message has been received and read. While this feature may seem harmless, it can create pressure for both the sender and receiver. For the sender, it can cause anxiety if they do not get an immediate reply, especially when they see the message has been read. For the receiver, it may feel like they have to respond right away. This pressure can be particularly acute for children and young people, who may still be learning how to set personal boundaries with technology and navigate friendships. 

Another design risk on messaging apps is disappearing messages. As these messages vanish after being viewed or after a certain period, users may feel less accountable for their actions and less aware of the usual consequences of sending messages or content. As a result, they may be more likely to share inappropriate or offensive material. Children and young people who want to save copies of these interactions to show their parents or carers or report to the authorities may also find it difficult to do so, especially if the platform prevents screen shots of these messages.

Some messaging platforms encourage more use with features such as ‘streaks’, which track how often you engage with certain users or the app. Although the process of building a streak can be fun for many children and young people, the pressure to maintain a streak often means they return to the app repeatedly. It’s important to remind children and young people that a messaging streak does not reflect the strength or quality of their friendship.

Although many online video chat platforms and messaging apps are free, many of these platforms offer frequent opportunities for in-app purchases. Children and young people who are avid users of these platforms may be tempted by the additional features that are promised by purchases. 

The amount of data collected by messaging apps can vary. Some platforms gather large amounts of data from users, especially those with many features. Additionally, as more platforms integrate AI, there’s a risk that chat data could be used to train or improve the platform’s AI systems.

The protection of data is also another risk to keep in mind, specifically for online video chat platforms. Some platforms may collect and store videos or conversations without sufficient transparency or protection, leaving users vulnerable to privacy breaches. Some platforms also note in their terms of service that they will not take responsibility for any data being lost. This can leave users vulnerable to losing control over sensitive data, like their location and identity, to malicious actors.