What age should my children be allowed on Social Media?

BloominFlower · 21/09/2023 12:17

As far as I’ aware I don’t think external links are allowed?

personally I wouldn’t let DS have it until 18 although he has no interest in it anyway at the moment

cringelibrarian · 21/09/2023 12:19

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PerfectMatch · 21/09/2023 12:20

i have three teens. They all have social media. Leaving it until 15 is a bit unrealistic IMO.

Finteq · 21/09/2023 12:24

I would try and avoid until adults

HeadAgainstWall0923 · 21/09/2023 12:25

Not social media exactly but my son is 9 and many of his friends have mobile phones where they are always on Twitter, instagram, YouTube etc and it horrifies me what I see them watching and listening to.

Thankfully my son hasn’t asked for a phone yet but of the boys in his class, he’s certainly in the minority for not having one.

yeveamgirl · 21/09/2023 12:28

HeadAgainstWall0923 · 21/09/2023 12:25

Not social media exactly but my son is 9 and many of his friends have mobile phones where they are always on Twitter, instagram, YouTube etc and it horrifies me what I see them watching and listening to.

Thankfully my son hasn’t asked for a phone yet but of the boys in his class, he’s certainly in the minority for not having one.

This doesn't surprise me at all, I'm sure many kids are asking for phone from shockingly early ages. And they all come with the ability to have social media now.

Alargeoneplease89 · 21/09/2023 12:30

Mine aren't allowed until 18 and to be honest they aren't bothered

Thisistyresome · 21/09/2023 12:30

65

Singleandproud · 21/09/2023 12:31

Depends on the social media.

WhatsApp is pretty integral nowadays for organising meet ups and DD has that, although I tried to avoid it not having it was interfering with DD having a social life so she got that Oct half term of Yr 7.
She has no interest in any others. I'd avoid Snapchat and tiktok as long as possible. YouTube is OK although I check what she's viewing occasionally.

Rabbitbrain · 21/09/2023 12:32

My kids all got phones aged 11 but no SM (including WhatsApp) until 16. With the new Online Safety Bill coming in next year I’m hoping it will make it very difficult for kids to have it.

ApolloandDaphne · 21/09/2023 12:33

Alargeoneplease89 · 21/09/2023 12:30

Mine aren't allowed until 18 and to be honest they aren't bothered

What age are they now?

HeadAgainstWall0923 · 21/09/2023 12:33

yeveamgirl · 21/09/2023 12:28

This doesn't surprise me at all, I'm sure many kids are asking for phone from shockingly early ages. And they all come with the ability to have social media now.

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A few weeks ago my son was playing football with a group of lads from the year above (so year 6) and another one of their friend ran over with his mobile phone and said, “Bloody hell lads, come and see what these two women are doing with each other…” The lads all gathered round and started making cheering noises and inappropriate comments etc.

My son had initially gone over but as soon as the phone screen was showed to him he just walked away and came back to me.

He didn’t say anything to me when I asked him about it but I’m pretty confident it was some kind of lesbian porn content.

I just don’t know how we are supposed to protect our young children from this when it’s widespread throughout schools.

Alargeoneplease89 · 21/09/2023 12:34

@ApolloandDaphne DS14 & DD12

CurlewKate · 21/09/2023 12:36

We protect our children by having lots of frank and robust conversations and by helping them to navigate the online world in the best and safest way possible. Not by pretending it's not there.

BloominFlower · 21/09/2023 12:38

HeadAgainstWall0923 · 21/09/2023 12:33

A few weeks ago my son was playing football with a group of lads from the year above (so year 6) and another one of their friend ran over with his mobile phone and said, “Bloody hell lads, come and see what these two women are doing with each other…” The lads all gathered round and started making cheering noises and inappropriate comments etc.

My son had initially gone over but as soon as the phone screen was showed to him he just walked away and came back to me.

He didn’t say anything to me when I asked him about it but I’m pretty confident it was some kind of lesbian porn content.

I just don’t know how we are supposed to protect our young children from this when it’s widespread throughout schools.

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I’m sorry to hear that, it’s so distressing isn’t it. The saddest part is, because it’s so widespread and accepted now there’s no way to stop it. If a child wants a phone and social media, chances are they’ll get it because all their friends will and the parents don’t want to leave them out. Even for those that don’t have social media, it still affects them as friends will learn things online (like through fake harmful pornographic content) and share it with their other friends as a way to be ‘cool’. All we can do is educate them

anareen · 21/09/2023 12:41

MotherHen20000000 · 21/09/2023 11:38

Not sure if anyone has seen what Matthew McConaughey has said regarding waiting till his children are 15 to start on social media.

Do we think this is right and what age would you let your children start, I can't decide myself?

Attached a poll link because I am interested to see if people agree with Matthew McConaughey or not.

https://strawpoll.com/XOgONDaGrn3

Just why in the first place. The longer you wait the better. I recently got rid of my social media accounts and feel much better. This is the only platform I am on. Have you looked into the effects of social media at all? I have also made it a point that my children aren't on tablets etc so much so I am doing the same. They are only with us for so long. Please stay in the present moment with them.

parietal · 21/09/2023 12:51

Social media is a massive category. My kids have WhatsApp because we use it to communicate with them.

My major rule is - no connections to people you don't know in person. So no insta or twitter or TikTok where you try to get lots of likes from strangers. But conversations with friends are fine.

sheflieswithherownwings · 23/09/2023 21:32

I've already said to my DCs that they won't be allowed social media accounts including things like Snapchat and Tiktok until they are at least 16 . My DS has Whatsapp as he chats to friends here and overseas on it. But I monitor it fairly regularly and want to avoid him being added to class group chats.

HappyCamperTent · 23/09/2023 21:40

CurlewKate · 21/09/2023 12:36

We protect our children by having lots of frank and robust conversations and by helping them to navigate the online world in the best and safest way possible. Not by pretending it's not there.

We do this too.

I have a 14yr old son who has WhatsApp, insta, snap and tiktok. He’s not too fussed by them and will take them or leave them… sometimes he gets a bit sucked in to tiktok on a wet day or on long journeys. But he’s looking at basic crap that’s age appropriate.. normally Mountain biking.

My 9yr old doesn’t have any of the above except a parent controlled insta for her mountain bike comps… to keep in touch with her competition! She also likes yt for gymnastics vids.

Can’t see the issue with this tbh.

HappyCamperTent · 23/09/2023 21:42

I have sm accounts and never come across inappropriate stuff… it’s all to do with who they interact/are ‘friends’ with

whereismysleep · 23/09/2023 21:44

BloominFlower · 21/09/2023 12:17

As far as I’ aware I don’t think external links are allowed?

personally I wouldn’t let DS have it until 18 although he has no interest in it anyway at the moment

I think you must be confusing MN with some other site.

Links are definitely allowed here!

whereismysleep · 23/09/2023 21:50

It depends on the social media. My youngest has been using my WhatsApp to contact her friends since she was 9.

She has about 4 groups of friends she chats to on WhatsApp. As it's on my WhatsApp I can monitor it and it's mostly great - she gets a lot out of being able to chat to her friends via WhatsApp.

There have been a couple of times other friends have fallen out in the groups and I've had to help her navigate it, but that's the exception not the rule, and having me help her navigate it was a positive.learning experience for her I think.

She also has access to YouTube through a kids account.

Then there's the likes of TikTok - I'll resist her having that as long as possible!

Borris · 23/09/2023 21:52

Mine is 13. She has WhatsApp on her own phone. Uses instagram on my phone but only to follow her favourite band, not to post. And can use YouTube on my iPad but has YouTube kids on her phone.

StarDolphins · 23/09/2023 21:55

I got a WhatsApp text through on Fri saying ‘hi star dolphin, what you doing today’. it was from my DD’s friend who is 7 - cue lots off “I want a phone, why can’t I have a phone”

Hell will freeze over before she gets a phone. Same with ear piercing.

it’s a daily battle being the meanest Mum!

caban · 23/09/2023 21:56

Think it depends on what kind of sm. My 13 year old has had Whatsapp for a couple of years (monitored) and has recently been allowed youtube. No tiktok, instagram or snapchat for as long as possible though, if we can wait til 15/16 then that's great.