Social media starts at 13. Many parents don’t know the rule

Some parents don’t know the minimum age for opening a social media account, even as governments move to impose stricter limits. Australia already restricts children under 16 from holding accounts on covered platforms, while other countries are considering similar measures.

The recent push to change the rules highlights confusion among parents over the details of this crucial debate in society. Only around a third of UK parents, for example, can correctly identify 13 as the minimum age for most social media platforms, according to Ofcom’s 2026 report.

Although 83% know an age requirement exists, only 32% could actually say what that age is.

Key takeaways

• Platform account rules, privacy-consent laws and app-store ratings mean different things
• Parental permission doesn’t automatically override a platform’s minimum age
• New restrictions vary by country, and proposals don’t change the rules until they take effect

The age rule many parents miss

Ofcom’s latest report shows a significant gap between knowing age rules exist and understanding them. Although 83% of parents knew most social media platforms have a minimum age, only 32% correctly identified that age as 13.

Another 34% thought the minimum was higher, while 9% thought it was lower. While the study deals only with UK parents, it’s not hard to imagine that numbers elsewhere don’t differ much.

However, there’s a very simple and practical question that any family needs to ask: before helping your kid create an account, have you checked whether that social media allows them to have one?

Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok commonly set 13 as their minimum, though local requirements may be higher. YouTube offers supervised experiences for younger children that are different from a standard independent account.

Which unfortunately means one of two things. Parents who set up social media accounts before the 13^th birthday say the child is older to bypass the restriction. Or the child makes this account unsupervised and bypasses the restriction anyway.

Why 13 isn’t a safety rating

The number has an important connection to US privacy law. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, requires services that collect personal information from children under 13 to obtain parental notice and consent.

A platform can separately prohibit under-13 accounts under its own terms. A parent’s approval doesn’t automatically create an exception.

And reaching the minimum age doesn’t remove the risks. Teenagers can encounter fake giveaways, account-stealing messages, cyberbullying and people using false identities to build trust.

Avoid entering an adult birth date to get a child past registration. Services use age information to decide which protections and features to apply. An inaccurate date can undermine that effort.

What studies tell us about social media and children’s health

Research links heavy or problematic social media use with poorer mental health and disrupted sleep. These studies don’t prove every child will be harmed, but they do give parents reasons to take age limits and usage habits seriously.

More use preceded more depressive symptoms. A 2025 study in JAMA Network Open followed 11,876 children and adolescents, starting at ages 9–10. When participants increased their social media use above their own normal level, researchers found greater depressive symptoms the following year at two follow-up intervals.

Heavy use was associated with later depression and anxiety symptoms. A 2026 study in BMC Medicine analyzed 2,350 adolescents from London schools. Those reporting more than three hours of social networking daily at ages 11–12 showed higher odds of clinically significant depressive and anxiety symptoms at ages 13–15 than those reporting up to 30 minutes.

Sleep problems generated by social media use could also explain these associations.

Some children struggle to control their use. WHO/Europe’s 2024 report, drawing on nearly 280,000 people aged 11, 13 and 15 across 44 countries and regions, found that 11% showed signs of problematic social media use, up from 7% in 2018. This included difficulty controlling use and negative consequences in daily life. WHO also notes links between problematic use, less sleep and later bedtimes.

Countries are moving beyond the familiar age limit

Governments are pursuing different approaches, from delaying accounts to requiring more parental involvement. These selected examples show why parents need to distinguish current restrictions from announced plans.

 The EU proposal deserves particular attention because it goes beyond simply raising the age.

Under the Commission’s proposed KIDS Act, announced in September 2026, mini accounts would have limited features and a one-hour daily restriction.

The proposal also calls for private profiles for minors, restrictions on unsolicited contact from strangers and limits on features that encourage excessive use.

What parents should check before a child joins

Start with the platform’s account rules and any local restrictions. If a service offers a dedicated child or supervised experience, check what it allows and how it differs from the main app.

For an eligible kid, review the account together. Check who can message them, whether strangers can see their posts, and whether location sharing is enabled. Agree on what should stay private, including their school, daily routine and live location.

Explain scams using situations they might actually encounter: an influencer giveaway asking for a login, a stranger offering gaming currency, or a message threatening to suspend their account. Practice blocking and reporting before a problem arises.

Make asking for help an easy process. Tell your child they can show you a worrying message, even if they clicked a link, replied, or broke a rule.

Alongside those conversations, explore Bitdefender’s family protection options for security tools suited to your household.

FAQ

Can I give my child permission to join social media before the age of 13?

Only where the service and applicable law allow it. Permission doesn’t override a platform’s terms or a statutory restriction such as Australia’s under-16 account rules.

Does turning 13 mean my child is ready?

No. Consider how they handle privacy, unwanted contact, peer pressure and requests for money or personal information.

Has the EU already raised the social media age limit?

The Commission’s September 2026 KIDS Act is a proposal. It would introduce tiered access, but Parliament and Council must agree on the final legislation.