How it works
Direct messages and voice/video calls, as well as group chats are end-to-end encrypted, so they can only be accessed by the person who sends the message and the person who receives it, no one in between (including Viber). However, Viber can see a message if the receiver reports it to them. Users can hide their chats with a pin number and create ‘disappearing messages’, meaning they cannot be viewed after a set time. They can delete a message they’ve sent to someone else (who will no longer be able to see it). Users can chat with an AI bot and get help with tasks like searching, writing messages or catching up via an AI-created summary of a long group conversation. People can pay for ‘Viber Out’ to make international phone calls using the app.
Under 18 accounts are not shown mature adverts and their personal data is not collected for personalised marketing. They cannot use Viber dating features and only their contacts will be able to see their profile photo or add them to groups.
Parental controls or safety settings available
Viber has some safety settings but no parental controls. Users can:
• Prevent other people from seeing their phone number, profile image, when they are online and if they have read someone’s message
• Block users and control who can add them to a group
• Control whether friends are notified on their birthday
• Turn on the spam filter (which prevents a user from sending or receiving messages with a known spam account)
• Decide whether to always attach their location to chat messages
• Prevent the app from gathering their personal data in order to show them personalised adverts
