The Most Used Platforms by Children and Adolescents: Risks and Guidance for Parents in the Online World
We live in a digital era where children and adolescents are increasingly immersed in the online world, using various platforms to connect, learn, and have fun. However, this connectivity also brings challenges and risks that require careful supervision from parents. Knowing the most popular platforms and the risks associated with them is the first step in ensuring your children navigate the internet safely.
The Most Used Platforms
- YouTube
Recommended Minimum Age**: 13 years (or YouTube Kids for younger children)
What it is: The largest video platform in the world, where children watch everything from cartoons to tutorials and vlogs.
Risks: Although YouTube Kids exists, it doesn’t always fully protect against inappropriate content, and algorithms may recommend unsuitable videos.
Parent Guidance: Use YouTube Kids for younger users and adjust safety filters. Supervise viewing history and discuss the videos your children watch with them.
- TikTok
Recommended Minimum Age: 13 years
What it is: A platform for short videos, known for its dances, challenges, and viral content.
Risks: Exposure to dangerous challenges, pressure to create popular content, bullying, and exposure to inappropriate content.
Parent Guidance: Set the account to private and monitor interactions and the content your children watch. Encourage conversations about dangerous trends or challenges that may appear.
Recommended Minimum Age: 13 years
What it is: A social network based on images and videos where teens follow friends and influencers.
Risks: Social pressure for likes and followers, exposure to social comparisons that can affect self-esteem, and contact with strangers.
Parent Guidance: Check privacy settings, monitor followers, and encourage conversations about the difference between online life and reality.
- Snapchat
Recommended Minimum Age: 13 years
What it is: A messaging app with photos and videos that disappear after being viewed.
Risks: Sharing inappropriate photos, cyberbullying, and a false sense of security due to the ephemerality of messages.
Parent Guidance: Discuss the risks of sharing photos and messages, explaining that nothing really “disappears” on the internet. Monitor the app’s usage and your children’s connections.
- Discord
Recommended Minimum Age: 13 years
What it is: A platform for text, voice, and video communication, popular among gamers and online communities.
Risks: Anonymity, interactions with strangers, exposure to inappropriate content, online predators, and subversive groups.
Parent Guidance: Educate your children about the risks of Discord, monitor the servers they participate in, and discuss online safety.
- Roblox
Recommended Minimum Age: 13 years (younger users should have parental supervision)
What it is: A universe of user-created games where children can play, create, and socialize.
Risks: Unmoderated chats, exposure to games with inappropriate themes, and the possibility of excessive spending on in-app purchases.
Parent Guidance: Set parental controls, limit playtime, and monitor social interactions within the platform.
Recommended Minimum Age: 16 years in Europe, 13 years in other countries
What it is: One of the most popular messaging apps, used to send texts, images, videos, and make voice and video calls.
Risks: Contact with strangers, exposure to inappropriate content, and online scams.
Parent Guidance: Monitor conversations, encourage the use of family groups, and set rules on who your children can communicate with.
How Parents Should Guide Their Children in the Online World
Guiding children in the digital world is a continuous challenge, but a necessary one. Mental health and child development experts recommend that, despite many platforms allowing use from age 13, this minimum age does not mean all children are emotionally ready to deal with the challenges of the online environment. Social media can negatively impact mental health, leading to anxiety, social pressure, and low self-esteem, especially in children and adolescents who are still developing self-control and discernment skills.
Therefore, it’s important for parents to consider not only the platform’s rules but also their children’s emotional and psychological development when introducing them to social media. Expert advice suggests that, in some cases, it may be more prudent to delay usage until the child is mature enough to understand the risks and handle digital interaction healthily.
Rather than just blocking or restricting access, the focus should be on educating children and teens to develop the skills needed to navigate the online world safely and responsibly. Digital intelligence skills are essential tools for both parents and children, ensuring that the online experience is enriching and safe.
If you don’t know where to start guiding your children online, a good option is to take the Parent Test, which will help you assess your level of preparedness to deal with digital challenges. Also, get the e-book “Guiding Children in the Digital World”, which offers practical guidance and strategies for educating children and adolescents in a safe and responsible way while using the internet and social networks. This will ensure you have the tools necessary to protect and empower your children in the digital environment.
