Are they old enough?

How to navigate key online milestones for your child.

Parents and carers play a key role in guiding their children as they first encounter the online world and begin to learn through exploration, play and social interaction.

When is your child old enough to take their first online steps and begin to explore on their own? How soon are they ready for smartphones and social media accounts?

It is a good idea to protect younger children from online risks such as encountering harmful content, contact with strangers or missing out on physical activity. But it is up to you to decide when and how they take these first steps, and how best to support them as they begin their online journey.

Is your child old enough for a smartphone?

A smartphone is about much more than making phone calls. It allows your child to spend time online using their own device, rather than a shared family tablet or computer. It literally puts the online world in their hands.

For many parents and carers, giving a five year old their own smartphone may seem like it is a step too far. For others, it might offer them peace of mind and security to know they can keep in touch with their child – especially in an emergency.

The right age for your child will depend on their level of maturity and your family routine. It is worth asking yourself the following questions before handing over a digital device.

Does my child have a good sense of responsibility?
Are they able to stick to the rules?
Do they show a good understanding of actions and consequences?
Do they come to me or another trusted adult when they are distressed or if they encounter problems?
What are the rules about when and where my child can use their smartphone? For example, will they only be able to use it while they are away from the house, and not in their bedroom at night.

For younger children it may be best to start with a mobile phone without internet access, and only introduce a smartphone when they demonstrate an appropriate level of maturity. There are a range of mobile devices available that allow you to control which tools or services your child has access to.

Some younger children might argue that they are ready for a smartphone, especially if their friends already have one. But it is worth holding out until you feel confident that your child is mature enough.

If you have a family online safety contract (see online safety basics), it would be a good idea to go through it carefully with your child in the context of the new responsibilities they are taking on with their own phone.

When are they ready for social media accounts?

Both the physical age of your child and their level of maturity and resilience can affect their ability to have positive experiences on social media.

Each social media site and app has its own criteria for minimum age requirements. Most require users to be at least 13 years of age before they can register, although some sites are created especially for children under 13.

Generally, the 13-year age requirement is not necessarily because the site is unsafe for children to use but to comply with a US law — the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), which prevents collection and storage of personal information from children under 13 years of age.

Key questions to help determine your child’s readiness for social media

We suggest considering these questions to determine whether your child is ready for social media.

Does your child know how to deal with negative online experiences?

If you think your child would be very upset by a negative experience online, you may need to guide them closely if you allow them to establish a social media account.

Look through online profiles and public feeds together, and talk about how some people behave differently online. Teach them how to filter abusive comments, block and report people.

Does your child understand the importance of protecting their personal information?

Explaining to a child why privacy is important can be difficult. Start by describing what personal information is. Emphasise that it includes anything that can identify them, such as their mobile number, email address, photos, the name of their school, and any sporting clubs they belong to. Remind them that photos can contain information that could be used to identify them, such as a photo taken right outside your house or a photo of them in their school uniform.

Let them know that if they share personal information online, it could mean that others, including strangers could use it in ways they may not have thought about. Someone could even post bullying messages or inappropriate photos on social media while pretending to be them.

See privacy and your child for more tips on this.

Does your child understand how privacy settings for social media work?

Show your child how to view the privacy settings for each social media service you use. Talk about the settings you have selected for your accounts and why you chose them. You can find advice on privacy settings in The eSafety Guide.

If you would like help with technology, including how to use social media services yourself, Be ConnectedExternal link provides step-by-step advice on the basics and more.

Does your child understand what is safe to share online?

If you are concerned your child may post personal information that allows people to identify and locate them – even after you have talked about the dangers – then they may need your help to use social media sites.

Discuss the risks of 'checking in', tagging people in photos, sharing nude or sexually suggestive pictures, meeting online friends in person, making offensive comments and other behaviour that is considered unacceptable.

Does your child know how to report cyberbullying and other kinds of abusive content?

Although there are huge benefits to being connected through social media, your child may experience some form of online bullying or harassment. If this happens, it is important that they know how to manage and report this behaviour.

Together with your child, check the safety resources for individual social media services and look for information about how to block and report other users.

Read The eSafety Guide for more online safety advice including how to report inappropriate content on different platforms.

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