What To Know
There’s no denying that social media can be a dangerous place for kids. As a parenting editor, I see stories every day about kids who are negatively influenced or even physically or mentally harmed in some way because of social media. Kids are preyed on by extremist groups like 764 on Snapchat, they’re exposed to incel culture on Instagram, they’re encouraged to participate in dangerous trends like “chroming” on TikTok, and the list goes on. But as adults who’ve been on social media for decades now, we know that it’s not all bad. A number of social media platforms have put some effort into implementing safety features for kids in the past few years, and that’s undoubtedly a step in the right direction. Snapchat now has the Family Center and Instagram Teen Accounts was revamped to be guided by PG-13 ratings in October 2025.
Still, most of the major social media platforms require kids to be at least 13 in order to sign up. But of course, there are ways to get around this. And some parents even help their younger kids do it, because it seems like they start asking for some form of social media younger and younger these days. The fact is, social media is a part of daily life for nearly all of us, worldwide. So the question that comes to mind for many concerned parents is, Should we be keeping our kids away from social media? Or, should we focus our efforts on teaching them how to be safe on social media?
In a recent chat with Zigazoo, a social media app that was actually designed for kids with safety in mind, Laura Tierney of The Social Institute said, “There’s no magic age, but rather every family has different values and children have different upbringings but what I do believe is that it’s best to ease your child into technology and social media over time so that they’re building that mental muscle from that early age of 2 to 3 years old.” By doing so, she believes that children will learn how to use technology responsibly slowly, rather than being bombarded by all of the things that come with social media at once.
That may seem contrary to the perspectives of some modern experts like social psychologist and author of the popular book, The Anxious Generation, who has loudly proclaimed that children should be kept off social media until at least the age of 16 and shouldn’t be allowed smartphones until they’re at least 14.
It also seems at odds with what appears to be a new and rising trend of social media bans for children. Australia recently became the first country to ban social media for children under the age of 16. As of December 10, 2025, kids can no longer join social media sites including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, and Twitch. The country has instructed social media sites to make “reasonable” efforts to keep children under 16 off their platforms, and if they are caught not doing enough, they will be subjected to hefty fines.
While Australia may be the first country to roll out a full-on ban, a number of states in the U.S. have actually passed laws restricting social media for kids. Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee, all have laws either banning minors from joining social media sites or requiring parental consent for them to do so.
Interestingly, sites like Zigazoo are exempt from the Australia ban, which specifies that a social media site is defined as “one that primarily exists to encourage interaction among users and allow them to post their own content,” per the Atlantic.
“Mainstream social media apps are exposing kids to cyberbullying and predators, harmful or age-inappropriate content, and addictive algorithms,” Zigazoo CEO and founder Zak Ringelstein said on LinkedIn in the wake of the Australia ban. “Zigazoo is the opposite and this is further proof that experts are paying attention to the fact that Zigazoo is built ground-up for the developmental needs and safety of kids.”
So where does that leave us as parents deciding at what age and what social media sites to allow our kids to participate in? Here are some things to consider:
Pros of Banning Social Media
-Keeping kids off social media can protect them from dangerous predators
-Waiting to introduce social media can minimize the chance of exposure to sensitive topics too early
-Holding off on social media may have a positive impact on mental health
-Opportunities for online bullying are diminished without the use of social media
-Children who are not on social media may experience better sleep since they won’t be tempted to doom scroll
Cons of Banning Social Media
-Children build and maintain community through social media and not having it may impact friendships negatively
-Children may become frustrated with parents, especially if their peers are on social media
-Children will learn to use social media responsibly later in life, and it may be more difficult; mistakes may be riskier
-Social media can be a creative outlet for many children that would otherwise be missed
-Social media can be a modern tool for learning and engagement
-Exposure to new ideas, cultures, ideas and perspectives may be stifled without social media
Choosing Social Media Safely
Whether you choose to allow your children social media or not is a personal decision. But it’s one that should be made mindfully and with as much education on the topic as possible. When we were kids playgrounds and parks were where the bad guys looking to hurt children hung out. Today, it’s the Internet, and we shouldn’t forget that.
If you do decide to allow your children to participate in social media, you should commit to doing it as safely as possible. But we are living in a modern world that is changing every day, and with that, we may also have to push our comfort zones and change with it. It’s okay not to just go with the flow and go with whatever the other families in your sphere of influence are doing.
Do what feels right for your family, given the knowledge you have, and be confident about it. Your kids may whine and complain if they don’t have TikTok and their friends do, but eventually they’ll get over it. Just keep reminding yourself that it’s too late to go back once something bad has happened, and be confident in your decision.
COPPA-certified Social Media Sites
We recommend only allowing social media sites that are COPPA certified, meaning they have been “verified by an FTC-approved third party (like iKeepSafe, kidSAFE, or PRIVO) to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), ensuring they properly handle children’s data, get parental consent, and protect privacy for kids under 13, with the seal acting as a trust signal for parents and schools.”
CafeMom’s parent company, Wild Sky Media, has recently partnered with Zigazoo, which became the no. 2 downloaded app in Australia after the social media ban went into effect. Zigazoo is COPPA certified and we can confidently say they intend to provide the safest space for kids online, with the goal of creating a positive environment for kids to connect, engage, and be creative, and support our goal of raising kind, happy, confident kids. Our company has a channel dedicated to uniting family called the familyroom. It will be full of great age-appropriate content, challenges, and tons of opportunities for kids to connect and be heard! Be sure to look us up when you download the platform.
Zigazoo is a kids-only platform protected by age assurance technology and it’s moderated by actual humans, not bots, which instantly makes us feel more comfortable. Additionally, Zigazoo was founded by two U.S. public school teachers and all interactive elements are educationally designed and the app uses project- and play-based learning models.
Zigazoo actually offers parent education to help parents promote digital wellness and teach their kids to be responsible and thoughtful digital citizens. For us, that is huge. Because navigating digital media with our kids often feels like stepping into unknown territory. Not other generation of parents has had to deal with this the way that we do. We can’t just ask mom for advice, so educating ourselves on how to do it right is crucial.
Be informed, be mindful, and trust your gut.
