[gib444]

I don't have kids but I do wonder if maybe the downsides of WhatsApp etc outweigh the benefits?

Lack of practice with face to face communication, near inability to talk on the phone, less quality connection with people in general, craned necks, myopia, hidden bullying, privacy violations, dependency on a US company etc

And what do you mean by "can't talk to anyone"?

[ars]

In places where WhatsApp is highly used you basically can't function without it, school events are posted there, friends organize activities on it, teachers communicate to both parents and kids on it.

Giving a highschool kid a phone is basically mandatory or they will be cut off from activities, and/or rely on a friend to relay messages. In some places even middleschoolers need it.

There are definitely downsides (not to mention WhatsApp is a really badly engineering program), but the network effect is too strong to fight.