Social platform · Medium risk
Is LINE safe for your child?
Age guide
12+
We advise LINE from age 12 and up. Overall risk 5/10 (medium risk).
- 5-8
- LINE is not recommended for this age group due to its communication features, social networking aspects, and potential for exposure to unmoderated content.
- 9-12
- Children in this age range may be exposed to group chats with unknown members, public timelines, and the ability to add friends via ID search, requiring strict parental oversight.
- 13-15
- Teenagers using LINE might engage in private messaging, participate in public groups, and use features like LINE VOOM for short video content, which can expose them to a wider range of interactions and content.
- 16+
- Older teens can utilize LINE for its full suite of communication tools, including voice and video calls, sticker purchases, and following official accounts, with an understanding of digital etiquette and privacy settings.
LINE is a popular messaging app, especially dominant in Asian countries, offering free calls, messages, and a variety of social features. It also includes a timeline for sharing posts, games, and digital stickers.
- Age guide
- 12+
- Overall risk
- 5/10
- Violence
- 2/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 4/10
- Stranger contact
- 6/10
- Addiction risk
- 8/10
- Language
- 3/10
- Influence
- 5/10
What parents should know
LINE is a popular messaging app with features extending beyond basic chat, including social media elements like a public 'Timeline' and 'OpenChat' rooms. It offers voice and video calls, sticker purchases, and a short video platform called LINE VOOM. Parents should be aware of its potential for interaction with strangers and unmoderated content, and utilize its robust privacy settings to manage their child's online experience.
What to do about LINE
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for LINE is 12+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact LINE setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about LINE without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in LINE that mean it is time to step in.
LINE age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is LINE?
Parentwise puts LINE at 12+. We advise LINE from age 12 and up. Overall risk 5/10 (medium risk). Violence scores 2/10, language 3/10, stranger contact 6/10 and addiction risk 8/10.
Can a 10 year old use LINE?
Not by default: we advise LINE from 12+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Children in this age range may be exposed to group chats with unknown members, public timelines, and the ability to add friends via ID search, requiring strict parental oversight.
Can a 12 year old use LINE?
Yes, 12 is at or above the age we advise for LINE (12+). Children in this age range may be exposed to group chats with unknown members, public timelines, and the ability to add friends via ID search, requiring strict parental oversight.
Can a 13 year old use LINE?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for LINE (12+). Teenagers using LINE might engage in private messaging, participate in public groups, and use features like LINE VOOM for short video content, which can expose them to a wider range of interactions and content.
Is LINE appropriate for kids?
LINE is a popular messaging app with features extending beyond basic chat, including social media elements like a public 'Timeline' and 'OpenChat' rooms. Parentwise rates LINE overall as medium risk (5/10), with stranger contact at 6/10 and addiction risk at 8/10.
Is LINE family friendly?
LINE sits in the middle: fine with settings changed and an occasional check-in. It offers voice and video calls, sticker purchases, and a short video platform called LINE VOOM.
LINE parents guide: what should a parent know first?
LINE is a popular messaging app with features extending beyond basic chat, including social media elements like a public 'Timeline' and 'OpenChat' rooms. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (6/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (8/10).
Is LINE safe for kids?
We advise LINE from age 12 and up. Overall risk 5/10 (medium risk). It offers voice and video calls, sticker purchases, and a short video platform called LINE VOOM.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.