At What Age Should Children Start Using Social Media?

Millions of children around the world use social media, and many countries are debating the implementation of legal restrictions on these platforms. Experts suggest that children's social media use should be limited, and that it is advisable not to allow access before high school age.

In the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, legal restrictions and bans on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are on the agenda. Legislative bodies in many countries are demanding concrete actions from the tech giants that own these platforms, particularly to ensure the protection of children.
Instagram, one of the world's largest social media networks, launched an initiative called "youth accounts" in September 2024 to protect users under the age of 18. Similarly, Facebook implemented a comparable policy in 2017, requiring parental consent for users under the age of 13 to access the platform.

What Should the Minimum Age Be for Children to Use Social Media?

Expert Clinical Psychologist Merve Öz from Yeditepe University Hospitals believes that it is not appropriate for children under the age of 13 to use social media immediately.
Merve Öz suggests that children should only be allowed to use social media in high school. She emphasizes the need to limit both the time spent on these platforms and how they are used, adding that parents should be clear and consistent with the rules they set..

Rules That Can Be Implemented Regarding Children's Social Media Use

Our expert lists some rules that can be implemented regarding children's social media use as follows:

• Age-appropriate content and usage guidelines should be set.
• Children should be prohibited from using social media late at night.
• Programs should be used to block access to harmful websites.
• Privacy settings on apps should be kept as strict as possible. Children should be warned not to share personal information with others.
• Children should be advised to talk to their parents if they experience any discomfort during their time on the internet.
• Children should be prevented from hiding the screen and should be allowed to use it in a way that parents can see the screen.
• Parents should advise children not to talk to people they do not know or do not know. Children should be told that they should not meet people they meet on social media outside.
• Children and parents should consult with their parents before posting on social media and agree that they should do so.
• Parents should know the passwords of social media accounts.

Öz, said that one of the best methods to prevent social media addiction in children is to impose time restrictions on the application and continued his words as follows.
" Social media platforms also allow setting the screen time limit within themselves. In this way, the child will be aware of the time spent on social media."