Do your 11 year olds have Snapchat and Tim Tok

[chrispot]

I know you have to be 13 but have you let your 11 year olds have these apps?

I meant to add, my 11 year old does watch YouTube shorts. Is this the same as TikTok?

Similar short format to the point many have ported their Tiktoks over to Youtube shorts, different algorithm and rules though some of the same issues around more divisive/attention and comment grabbing content appearing creeps in. I'd recommend supervising a child that young and having particular channels they can look through (if you click on a short within the shorts section of a channel, it just shows those). There is also a way to switch off the short function so they become like other videos - you can't scroll down them - but it isn't universal to all devices yet it seems. My 11 year old does watch some of the Mario modded ones, but we always go to the channel to do that so he can't accidentally scroll and he watches it with one of the adults.

No, my 15yr old didn’t, and still doesn’t have tik tok or Snapchat, thankfully her own choice. She does have instragram now but isn’t a follower of the crowd. She sees social media as somewhere trouble can be caused with friends and stays away. My friends daughters have them both, one is only 10

No. Neither my 11 year old nor my 14 year old have Tik Tok nor Snapchat. We said no.

My ds doesn't

I'm real life the ones in his classes who have it are girls,-land many were using from age 9. My ds (11) and his male friends don't seem to care about it yet

@boredwithfoodprob YT shorts are designed to be addictive so it's no wonder she loves it.

The Shorts feature is purposefully designed to be addictive. It may encourage excessive screen time in your child or young person 


	<span class="italic">There is an increased risk of inappropriate or harmful content being posted to Shorts, as the shorter length and volume of videos may make it more difficult for moderators to check. TikTok has had this same issue, with inappropriate content often being looked over or &ldquo;hinted&rdquo; at by creators to obscure moderating algorithms</span>

	
	<span class="italic">Users are not able to control the types of videos that appear within the feed, meaning your child might be exposed to inappropriate content </span>

oursaferschools.co.uk/2021/07/01/youtube-shorts-need-to-know/

My 12 near 13 year old does not. And won't be having them for a long time yet either.

Booktok is the part of tiktok where (mainly) teenagers talk about books. It's responsible for the popularity of Colleen Hoover and The Song of Achilles and my 15yo DDs obsession with 'dark academia'. Waterstones now have a 'as seen on booktok' section in their bookshops, it has transformed book selling.

It's not a case of that or nothing though and you have provided a great example of the comments I was talking about on that thread.

I have also already said my 13 yo isn't on any social media although my 15yo is on tiktok but not on Snapchat. Neither have their phone overnight. My 10yo is years away from getting a phone. I'm actually pretty strict in comparison to most RL parents but I do think there are some benefits to social media so it's always about a balance. Otherwise we should all get off MN because there is no doubt some creepy discussion somewhere on here today and never mind the value of the other sections like FWR or Relationships.

I do think communication is the most important thing to inculcate them from harm. You mention the trans issue. My DC know all about trans issues because it's discussed at school and on the BBC and my eldest has female friends who use masculine names and pronouns. Keeping them off social media doesn't prevent exposure to issues. As long as we're talking about it and DD understands why some of my views are different from hers that is the most important thing. The history of social contagion predates the internet but the cure is always the same. Exercise, different friend groups and interests and a strong relationship with loving parents or guardian.