Safety Use for all users

Keeping your account safe

Chatting safely

To connect with your family and friends safely

Safety Use for minor users

For students

For parents and educators

For parents and educators

For safe and secure use of LINE by minors,
Here we present LINE’s features, the concepts and initiatives to prevent trouble.

LINE is a messaging app used worldwide, with a strong presence in Asia.

LINE was launched in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011, in light of the increased demand for ways to strengthen communication and deepen bonds with family, friends, and other loved ones.
It is an app designed to facilitate communication and help us form connections with our acquaintances in much the same way as traditional phone calls and email. We are committed to ensuring that students can use LINE safely and securely, and we have implemented various measures to achieve this.

*1 Also available on PCs. *2 Internet data charges (packet charges) will apply according to your mobile phone carrier. Subscription to fixed packet services or use of Wi-fi are recommended.

LINE’s main features

Chat, Group Chat, Voice Call, Video Call

Chat

You can communicate in writing with your friends. LINE has various features to make the communication more fun such as “Stickers” that convey one’s feelings through illustrations. You can also send pictures, movies, audio and location information. By sending pictures or location information of a meeting place, communication can be made even smoother.

You can communicate in writing with your friends. LINE has various features to make the communication more fun such as “Stickers” that convey one’s feelings through illustrations. You can also send pictures, movies, audio and location information. By sending pictures or location information of a meeting place, communication can be made even smoother.

Group Chat

You can chat in groups on LINE. When you need to contact multiple persons, you can use LINE Group Chat to contact them all at once. You can make groups for various uses, such as groups of close friends and groups of friends with the same hobby for group activities. A maximum of 500 people can currently participate in a single group.

You can chat in groups on LINE. When you need to contact multiple persons, you can use LINE Group Chat to contact them all at once. You can make groups for various uses, such as groups of close friends and groups of friends with the same hobby for group activities. A maximum of 500 people can currently participate in a single group.

Voice Call, Video Call

You can make clear, high-quality voice and video calls. They use the internet instead of telephone lines, and are free of charge. You can also make voice and video calls between multiple users.

You can make clear, high-quality voice and video calls. They use the internet instead of telephone lines, and are free of charge. You can also make voice and video calls between multiple users.

“Read” feature, stickers

“Read” feature

When a message is read, “Read” automatically appears on the sender’s screen. This feature lets you know when your message is read, even without receiving a reply.

When a message is read, “Read” automatically appears on the sender’s screen. This feature lets you know when your message is read, even without receiving a reply.

Stickers

Stickers can convey emotions that cannot be conveyed only in writing and allow you to express yourself more directly. Expressive stickers make communication more fun and richer.

Stickers can convey emotions that cannot be conveyed only in writing and allow you to express yourself more directly. Expressive stickers make communication more fun and richer.

Friend List

What is a “friend” on LINE?

People whom you can chat with and call through LINE are called “friends.” There are two main ways to add friends: automatically using their phone numbers registered in your phone contacts, or manually. You can manage friends using features such as “Block,” “Hide” and “Delete.”

People whom you can chat with and call through LINE are called “friends.” There are two main ways to add friends: automatically using their phone numbers registered in your phone contacts, or manually. You can manage friends using features such as “Block,” “Hide” and “Delete.”

Related Information

LINE’s safety initiatives

Basic concept

Three aspects that protect the safety of minors

To reduce risks that come with the internet to an acceptable level, LINE conducts safety initiatives from three aspects: human, society and technology. For example these three aspects apply to a car as follows.
Human: Driver’s license system, safety lectures, etc.
Society: Road Traffic Act, emergency medical care system, etc.
Technology: Improvement of the car’s performance, crossings to separate pedestrians and vehicles, etc.

Based on this concept, LINE conducts the following initiatives to protect the safety of minors when communicating online.
Human: Netiquette awareness activities (lectures and workshops in schools, etc.)
Society: Implementation of LINE’s self-initiated regulations
Technology: Restriction of LINE ID settings and search for users under 18 years old, use of filtering

In this way, LINE aims to raise awareness on netiquette, improve the app’s features and involve society in order to create a safe internet environment for minors.

To reduce risks that come with the internet to an acceptable level, LINE conducts safety initiatives from three aspects: human, society and technology. For example these three aspects apply to a car as follows.
Human: Driver’s license system, safety lectures, etc.
Society: Road Traffic Act, emergency medical care system, etc.
Technology: Improvement of the car’s performance, crossings to separate pedestrians and vehicles, etc.

Based on this concept, LINE conducts the following initiatives to protect the safety of minors when communicating online.
Human: Netiquette awareness activities (lectures and workshops in schools, etc.)
Society: Implementation of LINE’s self-initiated regulations
Technology: Restriction of LINE ID settings and search for users under 18 years old, use of filtering

In this way, LINE aims to raise awareness on netiquette, improve the app’s features and involve society in order to create a safe internet environment for minors.

Features restricted by age information

Users under 18 years old or whose age is not verified cannot be searched for by ID

LINE ID Search is not available for users under 18 years old or whose age is not verified. Users who make their IDs public are often from external services not approved by LINE (ID exchange for dating, forums/apps for finding friends, etc.)

LINE implements the following measures in this regard.
・Clear prohibition in the Terms and Conditions of Use
・Publication of alerts on the official blog and website
・Restriction of ID Search for users under 18 years old

Age verification method ( Japan only )
LINE verifies age based on the mobile phone carrier’s user registration information. ID Search will not be available to users who are not confirmed to be at least 18 years old.
＜Note 1＞ LINE uses the age verification service of the mobile phone carrier to verify whether a user is at least 18 years old. (User’s birthday will not be shared with LINE.)
＜Note 2＞ The user’s information, and not the contractor’s information, is used to verify age. To enable correct age verification, parents must register their children as a “user” at the mobile phone carrier.

LINE ID Search is not available for users under 18 years old or whose age is not verified. Users who make their IDs public are often from external services not approved by LINE (ID exchange for dating, forums/apps for finding friends, etc.)

LINE implements the following measures in this regard.
・Clear prohibition in the Terms and Conditions of Use
・Publication of alerts on the official blog and website
・Restriction of ID Search for users under 18 years old

Age verification method ( Japan only )
LINE verifies age based on the mobile phone carrier’s user registration information. ID Search will not be available to users who are not confirmed to be at least 18 years old.
＜Note 1＞ LINE uses the age verification service of the mobile phone carrier to verify whether a user is at least 18 years old. (User’s birthday will not be shared with LINE.)
＜Note 2＞ The user’s information, and not the contractor’s information, is used to verify age. To enable correct age verification, parents must register their children as a “user” at the mobile phone carrier.

Reporting feature

Restrict the use by annoying users

When receiving messages from non-friends, an alert as well as “Block” and “Report” buttons will appear, allowing users to immediately report annoying messages from unknown users. When a report is made LINE receives the 100 latest messages and information of the reported user, and if they are judged inappropriate, restricts such user’s ability to use LINE. Users can also report people already registered as their friends by going to “Settings” on the chat or group chat screen and clicking “Report.”

When receiving messages from non-friends, an alert as well as “Block” and “Report” buttons will appear, allowing users to immediately report annoying messages from unknown users. When a report is made LINE receives the 100 latest messages and information of the reported user, and if they are judged inappropriate, restricts such user’s ability to use LINE. Users can also report people already registered as their friends by going to “Settings” on the chat or group chat screen and clicking “Report.”

Cases of trouble by minors

Case 1 of trouble by minors: Trouble caused by being friends with unknown people

Use Block and Report features to avoid being friends with unknown people

・Got involved in crimes or accidents after contacting unknown people and meeting them in real life.
・Gave personal information to unknown people, who then came to the house, made prank calls or requested money in exchange for personal information.

・Got involved in crimes or accidents after contacting unknown people and meeting them in real life.
・Gave personal information to unknown people, who then came to the house, made prank calls or requested money in exchange for personal information.

Related Information

Case 2 of trouble by minors: Bullying in groups of school friends or other friends

Have fun communicating while taking others’ feelings into consideration

・Bad-mouthed and slandered in multiple-user chats (Group Chats)
・Removed from Group Chats and left out
・Exposed because of pictures and private information shared by friends in Chats

・Bad-mouthed and slandered in multiple-user chats (Group Chats)
・Removed from Group Chats and left out
・Exposed because of pictures and private information shared by friends in Chats

Related Information

Case 3 of trouble by minors: Trouble with spammers

Do not respond to information you don’t know about

・False billing after signing up for membership, etc. according to message sent by spammers
・Started receiving spam in LINE and other general addresses after signing up for a membership or replying to spam with personal information

・False billing after signing up for membership, etc. according to message sent by spammers
・Started receiving spam in LINE and other general addresses after signing up for a membership or replying to spam with personal information

Related Information

Measures to prevent trouble

Avoiding Trouble

Parental controls

Parental controls allow parents and guardians to manage what internet content their children can and cannot access. Mobile carriers and operating systems (OS) offer different parental controls, such as filtering services that can screen and restrict specific types of online content based on certain criteria, and ones that can restrict usage time or access to particular apps.
We recommend using parental controls to create a safe online environment for your child.
You can contact your mobile carrier, Apple, or Google for more information on how to set up parental controls on your device.

Parental controls allow parents and guardians to manage what internet content their children can and cannot access. Mobile carriers and operating systems (OS) offer different parental controls, such as filtering services that can screen and restrict specific types of online content based on certain criteria, and ones that can restrict usage time or access to particular apps.
We recommend using parental controls to create a safe online environment for your child.
You can contact your mobile carrier, Apple, or Google for more information on how to set up parental controls on your device.

Important announcement: LINE's age rating changes to 12+

LINE will change the age rating for the iOS version of the LINE app to 12+ to ensure minors can use the LINE app safely. This means that parents and guardians will be able to use iOS's parental controls to manage their child's LINE use.
The new 12+ rating for the iOS (iPhone) version of LINE will take effect from December 2019.*1
While the new rating doesn't bar all children under 12, we encourage younger users to talk with their families and get permission first before using LINE.

■ Setting up parental controls (iOS)
If your iOS (iPhone) device has age restrictions set to either 4+ or 9+ when the new age rating takes effect from December 2019,*1 you will find the LINE app is restricted. Take this opportunity to check your device settings if you wish to continue using LINE.
*1 This date is subject to change. LINE will send out a separate announcement after the rating is actually changed.
More information can be found on our blog.
▶ http://official-blog.line.me/en/archives/1075976199.html

LINE will change the age rating for the iOS version of the LINE app to 12+ to ensure minors can use the LINE app safely. This means that parents and guardians will be able to use iOS's parental controls to manage their child's LINE use.
The new 12+ rating for the iOS (iPhone) version of LINE will take effect from December 2019.*1
While the new rating doesn't bar all children under 12, we encourage younger users to talk with their families and get permission first before using LINE.

■ Setting up parental controls (iOS)
If your iOS (iPhone) device has age restrictions set to either 4+ or 9+ when the new age rating takes effect from December 2019,*1 you will find the LINE app is restricted. Take this opportunity to check your device settings if you wish to continue using LINE.
*1 This date is subject to change. LINE will send out a separate announcement after the rating is actually changed.
More information can be found on our blog.
▶ http://official-blog.line.me/en/archives/1075976199.html

Filtering services

Japanese law generally obligates parents and guardians to use filtering services (services which use a set of criteria to identify and restrict inappropriate online content) on smartphones owned by children under 18.
We recommend using filtering services to help ensure your child has a safe online experience.
If you want to allow your child to use LINE, you may need to adjust your service's settings. Visit your mobile carrier's website to check your current settings and for more information on how to set up or remove permissions.

Japanese law generally obligates parents and guardians to use filtering services (services which use a set of criteria to identify and restrict inappropriate online content) on smartphones owned by children under 18.
We recommend using filtering services to help ensure your child has a safe online experience.
If you want to allow your child to use LINE, you may need to adjust your service's settings. Visit your mobile carrier's website to check your current settings and for more information on how to set up or remove permissions.


Contact your mobile carrier if you have any other questions.

How to “think” and “use” to prevent trouble

Preventive measures to be taken at home and school

It is important for adults to know about online manners and how to use LINE first to prevent trouble by minors. Please teach the children how to “think” and “use” LINE at home and in schools: tell them how to arrange their settings to avoid trouble, and talk with them about communication manners and risks on the internet.

How to think
・Let them know that there are dangerous people who target young people who don’t have much knowledge or life experience.
・Let them know that you don’t want them to do something that would make loved ones around them, including parents, sad.
・Explain online manners and their importance.

How to use
・Sign up and make the settings together to teach them how to use LINE.
・Tell them to use LINE only with their friends and people they know.
・Tell them to ignore spams.
・Tell them that it is important to have consideration for their friends and not put pressure on them when they don’t reply even when a message is marked as “Read.”

It is important for adults to know about online manners and how to use LINE first to prevent trouble by minors. Please teach the children how to “think” and “use” LINE at home and in schools: tell them how to arrange their settings to avoid trouble, and talk with them about communication manners and risks on the internet.

How to think
・Let them know that there are dangerous people who target young people who don’t have much knowledge or life experience.
・Let them know that you don’t want them to do something that would make loved ones around them, including parents, sad.
・Explain online manners and their importance.

How to use
・Sign up and make the settings together to teach them how to use LINE.
・Tell them to use LINE only with their friends and people they know.
・Tell them to ignore spams.
・Tell them that it is important to have consideration for their friends and not put pressure on them when they don’t reply even when a message is marked as “Read.”

Safety Use for minor users

For students

For parents and educators