When did you let DC have social media?

[socmed]

NC because told a few people I'm going to post this and the nosy buggers would search my username

Question is when is it appropriate to give our DCs access to phones and social media? Bearing in mind snapchat can't be checked after the fact, but that some gaming etc is interactive (and the DCs want that). When they are travelling to school on the bus etc do they really NEED a phone? One of my friends is of the view that they do need to be able to contact her. Another is of the view that we never did so why do our DCs?

And I'm stuck somewhere in the middle. One friend has taken away all iPads etc at home and is planning on no phones at all even at secondary school. The other is very easygoing with access to phones and social media and lets her young teen dc have it freely (unless it's removed as a punishment).

I'm torn. I don't like the way SM is infiltrating our lives, I hate the potential for bullying, but at the same time I don't want to be too harsh on my kids when that is the way the world is now.

Breakfast time debate sparked by something we watched last night scared me to death. So I decided to put it out to MN

My own kids are 21 & almost 17. They got a phone for their 12th birthday & were allowed social media at 13.

I'm somewhere in the middle too. DD1, aged 12, has a phone. She has WhatsApp but no other social media. She is very keen to have Instagram ('everyone does'), but I am sticking to my guns about it for now. I have her password and she knows I may ask to access her phone.
It's difficult. There's a balance between what I think is right and helpful, and operating in the world we live in. Interested to see what responses you get - I expect there will be a range.

DS1 (12) and DS2 (9) both have phones. They go to school on a minibus and I like to be able to track them. Neither of them have social media at all. We’ve said no until whatever the age restrictions are on the various social media platforms- they are there for a reason.

God I hadn't even thought about Instagram. I don't even understand how that works myself so checking it would be a nightmare

11 when they started secondary school, it's mainly Instagram that they use in terms of social media which I don't mind as I'm all over it too and we interact with each other and I can see what they are posting etc. I also have full access to any of their social media accounts so I can check their direct messages etc.

Age restrictions

That's interesting flowery. Tinder at 17 scares me to death with some of the weirdos on there 😳.

Interesting that people view WhatsApp as better than Snapchat and instagram but the age restrictions don't reflect that

My youngest has a phone (12) but he's not allowed it at bedtime or take it to school. I won't be allowing SM for quite a while if ever. His autism makes him a target for bullies. I've explained that I'm caring for his mental health and he accepts it for now.