App Safety Guide

• Use the child's real birthday. Teen protections are switched on by age. A fake older birthday turns them off.
• Keep the account private and turn off location sharing, except with family.
• Limit messages to friends your child knows in real life.
• Turn on the parent-linking tool (named below for each app) so you can see settings without reading private messages.
• Set spending limits or require approval for purchases.
• Teach how to block and report, and that they will never be in trouble for showing you something.

All agesChat requires an age check

What to know

• Since January 2026, every user must complete an age check before using chat. Without one, chat stays off.
• Players are sorted into age groups and by default can only chat with their own group and the groups just above and below.
• Chat is off for children under 9 unless a parent consents after an age check.
• The main risks are strangers offering Robux or gifts, and requests to move the conversation to another app.

Settings to change

• Link your parent account to your child's account to review their age-check status and settings.
• Set a monthly spending limit and turn on a parent PIN so settings can't be changed without you.
• Review the Roblox Safety Center together.

Talk about

• "Free Robux" offers are always scams. Anyone asking to chat somewhere else is a red flag.

All agesOnline play uses a Microsoft account

What to know

• Single-player is low risk. Risk comes from public multiplayer servers and chat.
• Minecraft has no single central parent dashboard. Controls are split between the game and the Microsoft or console account.

Settings to change

• In the game: Options → Multiplayer Settings → set chat to hidden.
• Use the Microsoft Family Safety or Xbox Family Settings app to control multiplayer, who can communicate, and purchases.
• Stick to private worlds with known friends, or moderated family-friendly servers.

Talk about

• Free "mods" and cheat downloads can carry malware. Ask before installing anything.

YouTube Kids: up to 12Supervised teen accounts: 13–17

What to know

• YouTube Kids is a separate app with a curated library and no public comments or messaging. Best for young children.
• For tweens, a supervised account through Google Family Link gives access to regular YouTube with a content level you choose.
• Teens 13–17 have uploads private and autoplay off by default, with break and bedtime reminders on.

Settings to change

• Under 13: use YouTube Kids, or set up a supervised account in Google Family Link and choose the content level.
• Teens: link accounts through YouTube's Family Center to see activity insights.
• Keep uploads private, and review comments if your teen posts videos.

13+ in TikTok's rules

What to know

• Accounts for ages 13–15 are private by default. Profile photo, username, and bio are still visible to everyone.
• Teens 13–17 get a 1-hour daily screen-time limit by default. Under-16s also get a wind-down prompt after 10 p.m., and notifications are off from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Settings to change

• Turn on Family Pairing by scanning a QR code from your own TikTok account.
• From Family Pairing you can lock the account to private, turn off account suggestions, limit who can comment, filter keywords, turn on Restricted Mode, set daily limits and "time away" schedules, and block accounts.

13+ in Instagram's rulesTeen Accounts: all users under 18

What to know

• Every user under 18 is placed in a Teen Account: private by default, messages only from people they follow, stricter content limits, and Sleep Mode from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Under 16, a parent must approve changing these settings, including making the account public.
• Teens must verify their age to change their birthday.

Settings to change

• Set up supervision through Meta's Family Center. You can see who your teen recently messaged (not the messages), see their chosen topics, and set time limits, including overnight.

13+ in Snapchat's rules

What to know

• Disappearing messages and Snap Map location sharing are the main risks.
• Family Center lets parents see a teen's friend list and recent contacts, weekly time spent by feature, and signals about new friends (mutual friends, whether they're saved in the teen's phone contacts). Parents can't read private messages.

Settings to change

• Set up Family Center from your own Snapchat account.
• Turn on content restrictions, and turn off access to the My AI chatbot if you prefer.
• On Snap Map, turn on Ghost Mode or share location only with family.

Talk about

• "Disappearing" snaps can be screenshotted or recorded. Never send anything you wouldn't want shared.

13+ in Discord's rulesTeen mode by default

What to know

• Since early 2026, all accounts start in a teen-appropriate mode until the user is verified as an adult.
• In teen mode, graphic images are blocked, age-restricted servers are closed off, messages from unknown users go to a separate inbox, and friend requests from strangers show a warning.
• Large public servers mix teens with adults. Most risk comes from DMs started in those servers.

Settings to change

• Set up Family Center to see which servers your teen joins and who they add.
• In Privacy & Safety, turn off DMs from server members your teen doesn't know.