A Modern Parent's Guide to Social Media Safety for Kids

For Modern Day Parents...

Navigating social media with kids can feel overwhelming. Each platform has different rules, features, and safety controls, and as parents we’re left asking: When is the right time? What do I need to know before my child signs up?

Here’s a breakdown of the most popular platforms in 2025, covering minimum age requirements, what they’re most used for, and the parental controls available. For more details, look for our book on Amazon that goes deeper into some of the technical controls you can put in place to help protect your family.

Messenger Kids

• Minimum Age: Designed for children under 13.

• What It’s Popular For: Safe first step into messaging with friends and family. No ads, no public profiles.

• Parental Controls:

  • Parents approve every contact.

  • No ability for kids to add friends on their own.

  • Chat monitoring and screen-time limits.

Facebook

• Minimum Age: 13 (Teen Accounts now available for under 16).

• What It’s Popular For: Staying connected through posts, groups, and Messenger.

• Parental Controls:

  • Teen Accounts (launched 2025) have default privacy, blurred images in DMs, and restrictions on going Live without parental consent.

  • Parents get notified if a teen changes safety settings.

Instagram

• Minimum Age: 13 (Teen Accounts available for under 16).

• What It’s Popular For: Photo and video sharing, Stories, Reels.

• Parental Controls:

  • Teen Accounts restrict messaging from unknown people.

  • Parents can approve Live streams and monitor safety settings.

  • Screen time reminders and bedtime “quiet hours.”

TikTok

• Minimum Age: 13.

• What It’s Popular For: Short-form videos, trends, and viral challenges.

• Parental Controls (Family Pairing):

  • Set daily screen-time limits.

  • Limit or block certain content and keywords.

  • Get alerts when teens upload public videos.

  • Control downloads, comments, and direct messaging.

YouTube & YouTube Kids

• Minimum Age: 13 for YouTube; no age limit for YouTube Kids.

• What It’s Popular For: Video sharing, entertainment, tutorials.

• Parental Controls:

  • YouTube Kids: filters out inappropriate content, disables comments/live chat.

  • Family Link: parents can view watch history, block videos, and set screen-time limits.

  • Safety Mode available on standard YouTube for teens.

X

• Minimum Age: 13.

• What It’s Popular For: Real-time news, public conversations, trending topics.

• Parental Controls:

  • Sensitive content filters (though not foolproof).

  • Ability to turn off direct messages and photo tagging.

  • Safety Mode: temporarily auto-blocks harmful accounts..

Final Thoughts

Every child is different, and so is every family’s comfort level. The key is to start with age-appropriate apps, stay involved, and use the built-in parental controls. Think of social media not as a one-time decision but as a journey—one that requires regular check-ins, conversations, and adjustments as your child grows.