Social media has been in the headlines a lot recently - with very good reason. When social media is used by young people, it can have a very negative impact. This is one of the biggest areas of digital concern in schools across the country, and it can only be stopped by parents limiting/supporting their children's use of it. Most social media sites have an age restriction of 13+, but many experts believe this is too young to understand the problems associated with digital forms of social communication.

WhatsApp is the most widely used social messaging platform on the planet, with over two billion users (forecast to become three billion by 2025), across more than 180 countries. The majority of those people (70%) open the app at least once a day – but what exactly are they seeing? Contact from strangers, fake news and convincing scams are all among the service’s well-documented hazards.

 According to Ofcom, WhatsApp is used by more than half of 3- to 17-year-olds in the UK (including one in three from the 8–11 bracket), despite its 13+ age restriction. If your child hops onto WhatsApp to stay in touch with friends or family, the guide this week contains the key details you’ll need to support them in doing it safely.