According to data collected by Kaspersky in South Africa, the applications WhatsApp and YouTube account for the largest share of time children spend online. However, experts warn about increasing risks, including blackmail, cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, and AI-generated abuses.
During the first eight months of 2026, WhatsApp was used by children in 33.8% of cases among the ten most popular applications. It is followed by YouTube with a figure of 26.8%, as well as TikTok (7.8%) and Instagram (6.8%).
Dominance of WhatsApp and YouTube in Application Monitoring
These findings are based on anonymized data from Kaspersky Safe Kids users on Android devices and desktop computers and cannot be considered representative of all children in South Africa. Among other resources used by children are multiplayer gaming and communication platforms such as Roblox, Steam, and Discord.
Kaspersky notes that platforms allowing children to communicate directly with others can expose them to risks from strangers. These individuals may use deception and manipulation to gain trust, obtain personal images or videos, arrange meetings, blackmail, or involve children in illegal or harmful activities. The cybersecurity company emphasized that key threats remain online grooming, phishing, and cyberbullying.
Andrey Sidenko, Head of Children's Online Safety at Kaspersky, stated that attackers can impersonate peers or use information shared by children on social media to earn their trust. He advised parents to encourage children to avoid communicating with strangers, not to share personal photos or confidential information, and not to keep online correspondence secret.
Cyberbullying is Becoming More Visual and Viral
These warnings came amid reports from Childline South Africa regarding an increase in cyberbullying cases and changes in the forms of online harm affecting children. Bhavna Lachman from Childline South Africa reported that over the last financial year, the organization received 105 reports related to cyberbullying, which is 7.14% more than in the previous reporting period. Lachman noted a clear shift: cyberbullying has stopped being exclusively text-based and has become highly visual and viral.
Typical complaints involved the distribution of images or videos without consent and the spread of malicious rumors online. Furthermore, Childline received reports that an Instagram and WhatsApp account allegedly disclosed minors' personal information, spread sexual rumors, and shared inappropriate material. This incident was forwarded to Instagram and escalated to the South African Police Service's Serious and Electronic Crime Investigation Unit.
The risks extend beyond cyberbullying and include other forms of online exploitation. The Film and Publication Board (FPB) classifies sexual blackmail as a form of online exploitation and child abuse affecting South Africa. Recently, the FPB welcomed the arrest of a suspect from South Africa, allegedly linked to an international digital sexual blackmail syndicate. The FPB strongly urges parents and children to report harmful or exploitative content, warning that cases of sexual blackmail may include threats to distribute intimate materials if victims do not comply with demands.
Kaspersky also warned that photos and videos posted online are increasingly being processed using generative AI to create fabricated content or deepfakes. This makes children's digital reputation increasingly important, as publicly available material can subsequently be altered or used in ways that affect their safety, privacy, or reputation. Lachman added that parents should pay attention to behavioral changes such as withdrawal, secrecy regarding devices, sleep disturbances, or severe stress after using phones. She also stressed that schools play a role, as online abuses often spill over into classrooms, affecting attendance, concentration, and interpersonal relationships.