Parent Resources
Parent Checklist: Privacy & Safety Settings by Social Media Platform
Before Any App
[ ] Confirm your child meets the platform’s minimum age for your country
[ ] Use the teen’s real birthdate so age-based protections turn on correctly
[ ] Review who can contact them, follow them, or message them
[ ] Turn on the strongest available privacy settings first
[ ] Set a daily time limit and a bedtime/no-notifications window
[ ] Show your child how to block, mute, and report
[ ] Agree on what to do if they see bullying, sexual content, scams, or pressure from strangers
[ ] Re-check settings after app updates, since features and defaults can change AAP APA
YouTube / YouTube Kids
[ ] Use YouTube Kids or a supervised account instead of unrestricted YouTube for younger users
[ ] Choose the correct content setting for the child’s maturity level
[ ] Review parental controls and settings in Family Link / YouTube parent settings
[ ] Decide whether the child should use YouTube on a shared device or their own device
[ ] Revisit content settings as the child gets older
[ ] Talk about what to do if a recommended video feels upsetting, scary, or inappropriate YouTube Help YouTube Kids Help
[ ] Confirm the account is a Teen Account if your child is 13–17
[ ] Make sure the account is private
[ ] Review who can send messages
[ ] Keep Hidden Words and message protections on
[ ] Check tags, mentions, and remixing permissions
[ ] Keep sleep mode on and review the daily time reminder
[ ] If your teen is under 16, verify they cannot loosen protections without parent approval
[ ] Review who can see profile details and posts Instagram Help Instagram Help
[ ] Confirm the account uses Teen Account protections for ages 13–17
[ ] Check who can see future posts, stories, reels, friends list, and followed pages
[ ] Keep tag review on
[ ] Keep reel remixing off unless there is a reason to enable it
[ ] Review who can see birthday, birth year, phone number, and email
[ ] Keep sensitive content set to “show less”
[ ] Review sleep mode and daily limit settings
[ ] If the teen is under 16, confirm less-protective changes require parent approval Facebook Help
TikTok
[ ] Turn on Family Pairing and link the parent and teen accounts
[ ] Review daily screen time and use schedule time away if needed
[ ] Keep or turn on Restricted Mode
[ ] Review search permissions
[ ] Check whether the account is private or public
[ ] Review direct message settings
[ ] Check who can see liked posts
[ ] Review who can comment and who can Duet, Stitch, use Stickers, or post Stories with the teen’s content
[ ] Add keyword filters for topics you want excluded
[ ] Review who the teen follows, who follows them, and blocked accounts TikTok Support TikTok Support
Snapchat
[ ] Confirm the account is private and only connects with real-life friends
[ ] Review Family Center so you can see friends, chat contacts, and time spent
[ ] Check location sharing on Snap Map and leave it off by default unless there is a clear reason to share
[ ] Review who can contact the teen and whether they are only communicating with mutual friends
[ ] For ages 16–17, discuss whether Public Profiles should stay off
[ ] Explain that disappearing messages do not guarantee privacy or safety
[ ] Make sure your child knows how to report concerning accounts Snapchat Parents Snapchat Parents
[ ] Walk through privacy settings together
[ ] Review what personal information should stay private
[ ] Show your teen how to block and report users or suspicious messages
[ ] Talk through how to handle bullying, harassment, or threatening messages
[ ] Review scams, impersonation, and suspicious links
[ ] Encourage your teen to come to you when something feels off
[ ] Revisit privacy controls regularly as their contact list changes WhatsApp Help Center WhatsApp Help Center
Discord
[ ] Leave content filters on
[ ] Confirm the teen cannot access age-restricted channels or servers
[ ] Review the message request inbox for contacts they may not know
[ ] Discuss friend request alerts and when to decline requests
[ ] Review whether they are joining private friend servers or larger public communities
[ ] Look at available parent resources like Family Center and the Guardians Guide
[ ] Remind your teen not to share personal information in servers or DMs Discord
[ ] For ages 13–15, confirm the personal account is private
[ ] For ages 16–17, decide whether the profile should remain private or be made public
[ ] Review who can message the teen and who can add them to group chats
[ ] Check whether comments on their content are appropriate for their age and settings
[ ] Turn on two-factor authentication
[ ] Review privacy and data settings
[ ] Set a parental passcode to lock account, privacy, and social-permission settings
[ ] Talk about blocking and reporting unsafe users or content Pinterest Help Pinterest Help
X
[ ] Confirm the teen account uses Protected posts if they are a known minor
[ ] Review who can send DMs
[ ] Discuss who should be allowed to reply to posts
[ ] Review how to block, mute, and report
[ ] Talk about public debate, harmful content, and why following strangers can increase risk
[ ] Confirm the birthdate is accurate so minor protections apply correctly
[ ] Consider whether the account should stay private rather than participating publicly X Help Center
[ ] Keep Safe Search ON
[ ] Make sure Adult Content is not enabled on a teen account
[ ] Review which communities the teen follows and whether those communities are age-appropriate
[ ] Explain that Reddit is public and often anonymous
[ ] Show how to avoid or leave upsetting communities quickly
[ ] Discuss what Anonymous Browsing does and does not hide
[ ] Remind your teen not to post identifying details, school information, or location Reddit Help Reddit Help
Parent Sign-Off
Child’s name: _________________________
Date reviewed: ________________________
Apps approved now: ____________________________________________
Apps delayed until later: ________________________________________
Family rules:
- No devices in bedroom after: __________________
- If something scary/upsetting happens, tell: __________________
- Weekly settings check day: __________________
These kinds of ongoing check-ins matter as much as the settings themselves. The AAP recommends looking at the child, the platform content, how media affects calm and sleep, whether it crowds out offline life, and whether families keep communication open. AAP
Click the link above and follow our parent-friendly guide to using Parental Controls on iOS and Android to set and monitor screen time; a step-by-step instructions for iPhones/iPads and Android devices, plus a few tips to make the rules stick.
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