Here are some ways parents can keep their children safe online without having to restrict social media entirely.
As countries debate whether to ban social media accounts for under-16s completely, children's organisations and technology companies are suggesting ways to keep them safe without cutting them off from the apps they love.
From parental controls to tech-free routines and understanding how artificial intelligence (AI) works, there are practical steps that parents can take to protect their children online.
Set up tech-free routines
Most major social media platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, now offer parental controls to manage how much time children spend online.
On TikTok, parents can set daily screen time limits, while YouTube allows users to schedule notifications and reminders, such as “take a break” or “bedtime”.
However, the European Commission warned that these features, especially on TikTok, might not be enough on their own to limit children’s online time effectively.
Parents are encouraged to go one step further by helping their children build self-regulation with their online time through “consistent routines,” advisesthe British non-governmental organisation, Save the Children.
Save the Children encourages parents to set tech-free moments, like phone-free dinners or time outdoors, because it can reduce a teenager’s stress and sleep disruptions.
Parents should also review the privacy settings both on their child’s device and their social media accounts, so data collection is minimised, according to UNICEF.
Modelling positive online behaviour is equally important, so children know how to interact respectfully and avoid unethical or harmful content, the United Nations children's body added.
Learn about AI
Parents should explain to their children how algorithms work, how to recognise misinformation, and how content is designed to grab attention, says Save the Children.
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, suggests teaching children to use AI as a partner, not a replacement for their own ideas or experiences.
“AI is great at generating ideas … but it doesn’t have your life experience, relationships, or full context,” one of their guides advises.
Teens should fact-check AI’s outputs by cross-checking the answers ChatGPT gives them with trusted websites, OpenAI added.
The company also says that children should be taught to think about the sources ChatGPT uses in its answers.
Parents can also explore the sites and apps their children use to identify where AI-generated content appears, according to the British charity National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
Teach your children how to recognise harmful content
Children need to learn what harmful content looks like and how to speak up if they encounter it, according to Save the Children.
Online risks for young people include unwanted contact from strangers, exposure to inappropriate or disturbing material, distorted body image pressures, and the addictive pursuit of likes and comments, the NSPCC warns.
The charity recommends teaching teens how to use blocking and reporting tools and encouraging them to tell a trusted adult when they experience something harmful online.
To support open communication, parents should conduct regular informal check-ins about their children's digital experiences—even if children don't feel comfortable initiating these conversations themselves.
The NSPCC suggests asking questions such as "Have you seen anything online that made you uncomfortable?" or "Who do you chat with online?" regularly to help children feel supported.
