What age should kids join social media?
Why most apps say 13, what experts recommend, and how to tell if your child is ready, with a step-by-step way to start.
- Most social apps require users to be at least 13, mainly because of privacy laws, not because 13 is a safe age.
- Many experts suggest waiting until at least 13, and later for apps with open messaging or endless feeds.
- Start with one app, private settings and regular check-ins.
"All my classmates have TikTok" is one of the most common pleas parents hear, often long before 13. Here's how to think about the question.
Why 13?
Most social apps, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, X and Discord, require users to be at least 13. This mainly comes from US law that restricts collecting data from children under 13. It's a legal line, not a judgement that 13-year-olds are developmentally ready.
Some countries have gone further. Australia has moved to keep under-16s off major social media platforms, and other countries are debating similar rules.
What experts say
Many child development experts and health bodies recommend:
- Not before 13, in line with platform rules
- Later for some features: open messaging with strangers, public accounts and endless video feeds carry more risk
- Gradual introduction, with parents involved at the start
Research suggests early adolescence, roughly 10 to 14, may be a particularly sensitive time for social comparison and self-esteem.
Signs your child may be ready
- They're at least 13
- They follow rules around screen time and devices most of the time
- They tell you when something online bothers them
- They understand privacy and what not to share. See what not to share online.
- They can handle disagreement and exclusion reasonably well
- They're willing to start with limits and check-ins
If they're under 13
- Explain why rather than just saying no.
- Offer alternatives: YouTube Kids or a supervised YouTube account, messaging with family on your phone, child-friendly creative apps.
- Talk to other parents. If several families in a class agree to wait together, it's much easier for each child.
- Be aware of fake ages. Children who sign up with a fake birthday lose teen protections. If your child already has an account with a false age, talk about fixing it.
Starting well
- One app at a time. Choose the one that matters most to them.
- Real birthday, private account.
- Set it up together, using the five key settings.
- Use parent tools where available, like TikTok Family Pairing or Instagram supervision.
- Agree on time limits and no phones in bedrooms at night.
- Check in weekly at first, then less often as trust builds.
eGuard sets up screen time, bedtime and app rules on your child's phone and checks that each one is really on. Free for one child.