When should you let your kids have a social media account?

[Grant]

Social media is hit or miss at times. Sometimes it can be a great place to find content and talk with family & friends. But in other cases it's a cesspool of idiocy and hate. With that being said, when should we allow our own kids to have their own social media accounts?

I think I signed up to my first social media site back when I was around 13, and it seems that's the age most sites allow.

Personally I don't want any of my future kids to use social media until they're older. Kids are too impressionable and will see a lot of stuff on social media. SO I think the longer you have them wait to use social media the better.

 

[Shortie]

I myself do not mind my kids having access to social media but I do wait until they are 13 years old before I allow them to sign up for any social media platform and I ensure that from the age of 13 - 17, I have access to their social media so I can keep an eye on what they are doing. They are usually pretty open with me though if anything happens on social media or if they see anything they don't think they should have which I am happy about.

 

[Danny4cash]

Social media today can corrupt young children. If you look at most of the things being posted on social media today are not too good. For me, I can't allow my kids to access social media until they're up to 17 years old.

 

[schetchshow]

I completely agree that social media can be a mixed bag, and it's important to consider the potential risks before letting your kids use it. Waiting until they're older and more mature is a wise choice, as they'll be better equipped to handle the negative aspects of social media.
I also wanted to mention that organizations like Foster Plus are doing amazing work to support children in foster care. Many kids in the foster care system may have experienced trauma or other challenges that could make social media use more difficult for them. That's why it's important to be mindful of their unique needs and take a cautious approach when it comes to social media use. Thanks for bringing up this important topic!

 

[Busybee]

Since every social media site is accessible on their mobile, it becomes all the more dangerous. We can have children access these sites on the desktop computer under supervision but with the advent of mobile apps, it is simply out of the question.

 

[Heatman]

I was never allowed to use smartphone by my parents until I was in the university. I would have done the same thing with my kids too but the world have evolved over the years, so I won't limit them the same way I was. I should be okay with them having social media accounts at the age of 14 years upwards.

 

[Kane]

I think I will allow my kid to use social sites once they are 13 (they are teens and hormonally charged), however, I will always keep my eyes on what they are doing on social media.

 

[Heatman]

It's always very important to overlook whatever your kids are doing on social media platforms. Although, it's going to be very difficult for you to keep tab on all of them. You just need to teach them well to know what's good and bad.