Privacy experts warn parents about data risks in messaging groups

Experts are warning parents about privacy risks associated with using messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger for school-related communication. While these groups facilitate quick information exchange, they often lead to the sharing of sensitive data, including children's phone numbers, home addresses, personal identification codes, and health information.

Donatas Drakickas, a product manager at Tele2, advises that users should only share information they would be comfortable sharing in person with all group members. He notes that even in closed groups, information can be easily saved, screenshotted, or forwarded to unintended recipients.

Psychologist Ieva Plauškutė from Jaunimo linija warns that long-standing groups can create a false sense of security. As members become more familiar with one another, they may share more personal thoughts and plans, forgetting that digital information is difficult to control once it has been transmitted.