IMO
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MINIMUM AGE: 13+
WHAT IS IT? imo is a messaging and video calling app that lets users send messages and make free voice or video calls over the internet. It also includes group chats, media sharing, message translation, and disappearing messages. WHAT WE SAY: Avoid. 🔞 Exposure to Inappropriate Content imo is mainly a messaging and calling app, but it also includes public groups and highly visible community spaces. In these areas, children and teens may come across sexual content, hateful language, violent material, or adult conversations, even though imo’s rules say this content is not allowed. imo states it uses 24/7 AI detection and human review to remove harmful public content, but no system catches everything instantly. 📢 Accountability, Identity and Age imo requires an account and asks users to provide accurate information. It also states the service is not directed at children under 13. However, like many apps, it can still be difficult to know who someone really is online, and there is a risk of impersonation or misleading profiles - especially in public groups or when chatting with strangers. 🔐 Privacy and Personal Information imo discourages sharing other people’s private information (like addresses, school details, IDs, or contact/bank info) and says it will remove content that violates privacy rules. Parents should still remind children not to share personal details and to be cautious about what they post or send, especially in group chats. 📱 Cyberbullying and Harassment imo bans harassment, threats, hateful speech, and abusive behaviour, and says accounts can be restricted or removed. Even so, private messaging and group chats can still be used for bullying, intimidation, or persistent unwanted contact, so children should know how to block and report. 🧑💻 Online Predators and Grooming imo has a zero-tolerance policy for child sexual exploitation, grooming, sextortion, and any sexualised interaction targeting minors. Despite this, any platform with private chats and public groups can be used by adults to contact young people, so it’s important children avoid messaging strangers and report anything worrying. 🚨 Sexual Harassment and Exploitation imo prohibits pornographic content, sexually explicit material in visible areas, and any sexual content involving minors. However, risks can still include unsolicited sexual messages, pressure to share images, or sexualised conversations - particularly if a child joins public groups or accepts messages from unknown users. 💬 Direct Messaging and Media Sharing imo supports direct messaging, calls, and media sharing. This is useful for friends and family, but it also means children could receive unwanted messages, images, links, or requests to move conversations elsewhere. Encourage young people to keep accounts private where possible and only chat with people they know. 🔓 Scams, Spam and Phishing imo warns against spam, deceptive content, phishing, and fraud, and includes protections like spam blocking and 2-step verification. Even so, children may still encounter scam messages or suspicious links - so remind them not to click unknown links, not to share codes, and to report/block. |
SAFETY TIPS:
📲 Understand the App - Get to know how imo works (messaging, calls, group chats, media sharing and privacy tools) so you can make informed choices and guide your child safely. 👨👧 Parental Oversight - Regularly check in on who your child is chatting with and review privacy and safety settings together. Keep up with common online risks and trends. 👥 Manage Contacts - Encourage your child to only accept requests and messages from people they know in real life, and to avoid adding strangers from public groups. 📷 Be Camera-Aware - Remind your child to only use the camera when needed and to check what’s visible in the background, as it can reveal personal details or location clues. 🧠 Trust Your Instincts - If a chat feels wrong, pressuring, or inappropriate, they should stop responding, block the user, and report it. 🖥️ Use Devices in Shared Spaces - Where possible, keep internet-connected devices in shared areas of the home, especially for younger children, to support safer online habits. 🙋♀️ Keep Conversations Open - Talk often about online safety topics such as bullying, grooming, scams, sexual exploitation, and privacy. Make sure they know how to get help and how to report concerns. 🚨 Know the Warning Signs - Look out for sudden changes like secrecy, anxiety after using the app, mood swings, or deleting apps/messages - these can indicate something has gone wrong online. FURTHER SUPPORT: For parents/ carers If you're worried about your child or need support call NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. If you see suspected child sexual abuse content online, report it to the police or the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which helps remove illegal images from the internet. If you’re worried about online sexual exploitation or abuse, you can make a report to Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP) - a UK law enforcement team dedicated to protecting children and young people online. For Children & young people if they're worried or want to talk, encourage them to contact Childline Online or call 0800 1111. Check out our Factsheets for further information and useful online safety tips. 
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