One of the most pressing dilemmas facing many parents today is, what age should they let their kids use Snapchat, or any other form of social media, for that matter. Although it's been around for a few years, many parents wonder if Snapchat is safe for kids. It seems that kids are using these social media messaging apps younger and younger. Social media has become a huge part of all our lives, but it can also be difficult to navigate safely.
Snapchat is a popular mobile app that allows the user to send snaps — pictures, text, or video — to another user. The allure of Snapchat is that these messages are only available for a limited time and then they disappear. Snapchat has evolved over the years to include stories and a discovery area that is basically a newsfeed, but it's still a way for kids to message each other privately. Because these conversations are deleted after a short period of time, is Snapchat safe for kids?
Many parents struggle with the safety of this app for this reason. Parents are the best judge of what their child is ready for, but many experts have weighed in and given their professional advice.
Is Snapchat a child-friendly app?
Snapchat, like many social media apps, does list an age requirement in its terms of service stating that no one younger than 13 years old should have an account. Statistics show that over 290 million people use Snapchat daily, and a lot of them are tweens and teens, despite the app's age limit. In fact, a recent study showed that 82% of U.S. teens use Snapchat at least once a month while 36% say it is their favorite social media platform. This was before the TikTok boom, but it still stands to reason that many kids are still using Snapchat.