What age should kids get social media?
The short answer: most apps require 13, pediatricians suggest waiting until at least 13, and some experts say 16. Here's what's behind each number, and where the law stands as of October 2026.
In the US, most major platforms require users to be at least 13. That number comes from a federal privacy law (COPPA), not from research showing 13-year-olds are ready. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests waiting until at least 13, and says every child is different. Jonathan Haidt and the Wait Until 8th movement suggest 16 or later. Laws are changing fast.
Why 13?
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires a parent's verifiable consent before a company collects personal information from a child under 13. Most platforms avoid that by setting their minimum age at 13. It's a privacy-law line, not a developmental one. (The COPPA rule was updated in 2025, with compliance required by April 22, 2026.)
What experts recommend
- American Academy of Pediatrics (updated October 2026): "AAP suggests waiting until children are at least age 13" before accounts on apps like Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok, and notes "every child is different." Its January 2026 policy also asks platforms to make safety the default: autoplay off, no targeted ads to minors and chat off by default for minors.
- American Psychological Association (2023): "Using social media is not inherently beneficial or harmful to young people." It recommends closer adult involvement around ages 10 to 14, with independence growing over time.
- Jonathan Haidt, The Anxious Generation (2024): no smartphones before high school and no social media before 16.
- Critics and the middle: researchers like Candice Odgers argue the evidence doesn't show social media is driving a youth mental-health epidemic. Jacqueline Nesi supports delaying but says the exact right age is uncertain. Jenny Radesky, who chairs the AAP council that wrote the 2026 policy, argues the focus belongs on how platforms are designed. More on the debate.
US state laws (as of October 24, 2026)
Many state laws are tied up in court. These are the main ones families ask about:
| Law | What it does | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Florida HB 3 | Bars accounts for under-14s on platforms with "addictive features"; 14 and 15 need parental consent | In force; a federal appeals court found it likely constitutional (Oct 2026) |
| Mississippi HB 1126 | Age verification and parental consent | Enforceable while appeals continue |
| Tennessee HB 1891 | Age verification and parental consent | In force; appeal pending |
| Texas SB 2420 | App stores verify age; under-18s need consent to download | Enforceable; appeal pending |
| Utah, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Virginia | Various age and consent rules | Blocked by courts |
| California SB 976 | Parental consent for "addictive feeds" | Partly in effect |
| New York SAFE for Kids Act | Limits algorithmic feeds for minors | Not yet in effect |
In Congress, the House passed the KIDS Act in June 2026, but it is not law. The federal TAKE IT DOWN Act, which requires platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours, has been enforced by the FTC since May 19, 2026.
Outside the US
- Australia has required major platforms to keep under-16s off since December 10, 2025. About 4.7 million accounts were removed or restricted in the first weeks, but those are accounts, not children, and surveys suggest many kids are still on. Court challenges are pending, so it's too early to say whether it works.
- United Kingdom: Ofcom's children's safety codes have been enforceable since July 25, 2025. The government announced under-16 restrictions in June 2026, targeting spring 2027. They aren't in force yet.
- European Union: the European Parliament backed a non-binding call for a minimum age of 16 (with access from 13 with parental consent). The Commission is preparing a proposal; there's no law yet.
What this means for your family
An age is only part of the answer. What a child can do on an app matters too: who can contact them, whether the feed ends, whether there are public likes and ads. Many families start with something smaller and closer to home: a family-only space where kids can share and message with people they already know, with a guardian nearby. That's what OurDot was built for. Use our safe social app checklist to judge any app.
Common questions
Is it illegal for a 12-year-old to have Instagram?
It isn’t a crime for the child, but it breaks Instagram’s terms, which require users to be 13. COPPA puts the legal duty on companies, not kids. Some states, like Florida, now also restrict accounts for younger teens.
What age does the AAP recommend for social media?
As of October 2026, the AAP suggests waiting until at least 13 and says every child is different.
Sources
- AAP Center of Excellence, Age to introduce social media (updated Oct 22, 2026)
- AAP, Calls for creating a child-friendly digital world (Jan 20, 2026)
- APA, Health advisory on social media use in adolescence (May 2023)
- Jacqueline Nesi, Making sense of The Anxious Generation (Apr 2024)
- Radesky, New screen time guidelines bolster case for child safety guardrails, TechPolicy.Press (Jan 2026)
- JURIST, Appeals court finds Florida social media law likely constitutional (Oct 16, 2026)
- Loeb & Loeb, Children's Online Privacy in 2026 (Jun 2026)
- MediaPost, Supreme Court allows Texas to enforce app store restrictions (Jul 7, 2026)
- Crowell & Moring, House advances kids' online safety bill (2026)
- FTC, FTC begins enforcing TAKE IT DOWN Act (May 19, 2026)
- Mediaweek, eSafety puts five social platforms on notice (Mar 31, 2026)
- Tech Times, Australia prepares to sue platforms over under-16 compliance (Oct 21, 2026)
- Ofcom, Age checks one year on (Jul 15, 2026)
- Osborne Clarke, UK under-16s social media restrictions (Jun 16, 2026)
- Silicon UK, EU sets out plans for social media restrictions (Jul 15, 2026)