What it is
Whisper is built for anonymous posts, often from people nearby. There is no classroom, no friend list you recognise, and no good way to know the age of the person replying.
Putting a child into an anonymous local crowd is not a small privacy setting. Adults and minors can be in the same pool. Treat this as an app to remove.
What to look out for
- Posts that mention their school, street, or age.
- Replies that quickly turn personal or sexual.
- Anyone asking to meet because they are "nearby".
- A second account you were not shown.
Ways to stay safe
These steps are for Whisper. The house rules still apply on every app.
- Remove the app.
- Ask whether they have agreed to meet anyone, or shared a photo.
- If the contact became sexual or someone tried to meet, use the help page and do not go to a meeting "to check".
- Keep location services off for apps that do not need them.
In the news
Published reports you can read yourself. A headline is the proof, not a set of instructions, and this page does not repeat graphic detail.
- Criminals are using private messaging to groom children The charity’s latest police figures. Whisper is an anonymous app tied to location, which is the same problem: you cannot see who is writing.
- FTC bans anonymous messaging app NGL from users under 18 This order is about NGL. Whisper is another app where you cannot see who is writing, and it is tied to location.
A way to start the conversation
Say plainly that a secret post next to a map is not a diary. A diary does not write back, and it does not know the street they are on.
Video
Whisper parent briefing
A short video for this guide can be added by an editor. Until then, the written briefing above is the one to use.