Parenting GuidesUpdated 10/29/2026

Group Chats, Discord, Snapchat and WhatsApp

If your child talks with friends on Discord, Snapchat, WhatsApp or in group chats, here's what you can know, and how to ask about the rest. ParentSEE never sees messages.

What ParentSEE shows, and what it doesn't

ParentSEE shows which messaging apps your child's devices reach, when, and roughly for how long: for example, that Discord was open late in the evening. It never sees messages, chat content or photos, or who your child talks to. That's on purpose: we see patterns, never content.

Age rules

Discord and Snapchat say users must be at least 13, and WhatsApp says 13 to use it on your own. See Social Media and Age Minimums.

Settings you can use

On an iPhone or iPad, Apple's Screen Time lets a parent choose Allowed Contacts for Messages, FaceTime and Phone. A message from someone new then waits until a parent approves. See Setting Screen Time Limits on Your Child's Devices.

Snapchat's Family Center shows a parent who their teen is friends with and who they have messaged recently.

Check each app's privacy settings together. The AAP suggests doing this before using a new app.

How to ask about it

Ask who's in their group chats and what they talk about, with curiosity rather than suspicion.

Talk about what to do if a chat turns unkind, or if someone they don't know messages them: they can leave the chat, block the person, and tell you.

Agree on times when phones are put away, like meals and the hour before bed.

Let them know they can come to you without losing their phone. A calm conversation usually helps more than a punishment.

If you're worried about your child's safety right now, ask Steve or see the crisis resources.