The 5 apps and services that every parent should know about
It’s impossible for most parents to keep up with all of the apps and services children use online, so we’ve compiled this handy guide to some of the most popular ones.
Some will be familiar to you already, some less so, but all are worth knowing about: if you take an interest in the things your child enjoys doing, they’re far more likely to open up to you in the event that something goes wrong.
So read on for our brief guides to Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and WhatsApp – and don’t forget that the best way to learn about them is to give them a go yourself. You can also find guides to more platforms, apps, games and services in our Parent Guide library.
Snapchat
What is Snapchat?
Snapchat was launched in 2011 and swiftly became one of the most popular social media apps on the planet. And with an estimated 330 million daily users, it remains exactly that today.
The photo-messaging app allows users to take and share photos and videos to which they’ve added text and fun graphics. These ‘Snaps’ can then be shared with people listed in their smartphone’s contact list who also have the app.
It also contains a ‘Discover’ section which features news from a wide range of media brands converted into the easy-to-digest Stories format.
What do parents need to know about Snapchat?
When Snapchat launched, its success came from the ethereal nature of the ‘Snaps’ – they lasted only a few seconds before disappearing and couldn’t be saved by the person receiving them. This meant children could have fun, pulling silly faces and not worrying that the image would be around forever.
As Snapchat has evolved, this has changed. The person posting can now choose how long the images stay up by creating Stories, which are available for up to 24 hours. Images can also be screen shot outside the app and shared by the person receiving them.
According to Snapchat’s own rules, users must be 13. However there's no robust age verification process – you just enter your birth date – so it is possible for children under 13 to sign up.
Snapchat is unmoderated and therefore you cannot filter the posts your child receives or Stories they view, which means they can be exposed to adult content. There are, however, a range of privacy settings including the ability to restrict who can contact you, view your Story, or see your location on the Snap Map.
Further reading
Learn more about safety controls for Snapchat here
Snapchat: everything you need to know
What is Instagram?
There’s a good chance you already know what Instagram is – after all, it now has more than 1 billion active users, with plenty of parents among them.
It made its name as an image-sharing platform, but videos are now almost as important. You can share them with followers, live stream yourself and watch others.
It also has a ‘Stories’ feature, which bears a striking resemblance to Snapchat’s and also disappear after 24 hours, as well as ‘Reels’, a feature which gives prominence to short, editable clips, akin to those you’d see on TikTok.
What do parents need to know about Instagram?
As with Snapchat, users are supposed to be 13 or over. But once again, a child could lie about their birth date and use the app before that age. Underage accounts can be reported, and Instagram says it will delete them if the user is unable to verify that they are over 13.
Other users can comment on posts, which can lead to both positive and negative judgements. Posts can be seen by anyone as default, but you can change your child’s privacy settings so that only people they know can see them. However, their bio, profile and profile image will remain public. Other controls include the ability to set reminders about how much time you spend on the app.
Instagram has been accused of contributing to the rise in body image issues among young people. Celebrities and influencers post images that have been heavily edited, professionally styled and often retouched, giving an idea of beauty that is both unreal and unattainable for most people, while young people themselves can obsess over taking the perfect selfie.
Further reading
Learn more about safety controls for Instagram here
Instagram: everything you need to know
TikTok
What is Tiktok?
TikTok is the fastest-growing social media app in the world, with young people in particular seemingly bewitched by its music-led short-form videos.
Creativity is the keyword here, with its 1 billion-plus monthly users finding ingenious ways to make their videos exciting, engaging, or informative.
Clips can be up to ten minutes long, and content is vast and varied, covering everything from make-up tutorials to gaming and from sports to music. But really, anything goes – particularly if it’s upbeat and funny.
What do parents need to know about TikTok?
TikTok has a 13-plus age limit – but once again, a child could get around that by pretending they were older.
In other regards, there’s a ‘Restricted Mode’ which filters content. You can make an account private, meaning that other users must be approved before they can see and interact with your child’s content.
The platform also recently put in place rules that prevent under-16s from sending or receiving private messages, and made accounts for that age group private by default.
There’s also a Family Pairing mode, which links your account with your child’s so you can control how much time they spend on the app, who they can send messages to and what type of content they see.
Although much of the content on offer is harmless fun, some videos are undoubtedly more suitable for a mature audience. It has also become famous for spawning viral challenges, including potentially dangerous ones, so make sure that your child knows not to try risky activities they see on it.
Further reading
Learn more about safety controls for TikTok here
TikTok: everything you need to know
YouTube
What is YouTube?
Children and young people just love YouTube. Some just like watching the clips – anything from Taylor Swift performances to cute cat videos to YouTubers such as football gaming star KSI – while others make their own and post them for others to watch and comment on.
What do parents need to know about YouTube?
YouTube has simple parental controls to restrict access to adult content, strict community rules about posts and an easy process to report illegal, harmful or upsetting content. But there is still a chance your child will come across content you wouldn’t want them to, including religious and extremist propaganda.
That’s why it’s important to encourage them to think critically about anything they see on the platform. The content may not be true or have come from a verifiable source.
To post, you need to be 13 years old and open an account but you can watch content at any age. For children under 13, there is an app, YouTube Kids, with content specially curated for a younger age group.
Further reading
Learn more about safety controls for YouTube here
YouTube Kids: everything you need to know
What is WhatsApp?
The most popular messaging app in the world is now the main way many people stay in touch on their mobiles. Forget texting or phoning, WhatsApp-ing is close to becoming a verb in its own right.
Like Instagram and Facebook, WhatsApp is owned by Meta, and allows individual message chats or groups of up to 512 users to have a running conversation. It can save a lot of time when organising activities – or even just discussing what the family is having for tea. You can also use it for voice calls and video.
Messages sent on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted, meaning only those with access to the phones of the sender and receiver can read them.
What do parents need to know about WhatsApp?
Children and young people use it to share images, and generally chat with their friends. They can communicate with anyone in their contacts list who has the app.
It was originally aimed at 13+ but in May 2018, its minimum age was raised to 16 in Europe, following the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It remains 13+ elsewhere.
Anyone who has your child’s phone number could send them a message, and there have been reports of bullying and inappropriate contact with children by adults on the app. It’s unmoderated, so young users will need to know how to block upsetting or illegal contact and report users within the app themselves. WhatsApp’s encryption has caused problems for law enforcement or other groups trying to legitimately access messages sent on the app.