At National Online Safety, we provide multi-award-winning online safety education for the whole school community. It’s our mission to make the internet a safer place for children. We believe that when children go online to learn, communicate or play, they should be able to do so safely. That’s why we provide schools all over the world with the knowledge they need in order to tackle new and evolving online risks.
Online Messaging Apps
Mystified by Messenger? Confused about Kik? Woolly on WhatsApp? Give us five minutes of your time, and our explainer video will get you back into the conversation.

What are online messaging apps/sites?
We often think of social media as being very public, but most platforms have private messaging options.
Some apps, such as WhatsApp, Telegram or Kik messenger, are actually designed for one-to-one or small group discussions.
The world has evolved from simple text messaging, but private messaging is hugely popular amongst young people.
Most private messaging apps let people share text messages, voice notes, images, and videos.
For more information on the associated risks and online safety tips for parents and carers, watch our explainer video, available to those with a National Online Safety membership.