Isle of Wight schools have issued a warning to parents and asked them to be vigilant with their children and devices at home after concerns were raised over an inappropriate WhatsApp group.

Students at Island schools are being added to the group, which is believed to contain adult content, prompting alarm from parents and school leaders.

Carisbrooke College, Medina College and the Island VI Form, all based in Newport, made parents aware of the WhatsApp group yesterday afternoon (Thursday, October 5).

A spokesperson from the Isle of Wight Education Federation (IWEF), which runs the schools, said staff were made aware of the inappropriate group by a member of the public.

Young people are being added to the WhatsApp group, called ‘Add Everyone’, without the need to accept a request, meaning students may be included in the group without being aware.

In an email sent out by the IWEF, parents have been asked to ensure their children are not part of this group and to continue to monitor their devices.

It is understood that Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have been made aware of concerns.

What is WhatsApp?

Isle of Wight County Press:

WhatsApp is a free-to-download messenger app for smartphones owned by the same company behind Facebook, Meta, and is used by over one billion people worldwide.

The app is very similar to text messaging services but uses the internet to send messages, images, audio or video.

WhatsApp can also be used on tablets, laptops and desktop PCs.

It is popular with teenagers because of features like group chatting, voice messages and location sharing.

Whatsapp also lets its users share their location in real time. This feature allows you to share your exact location with a friend or loved one.