How to Choose a Safe Social Media App for Kids
Choosing a child’s first social app can feel surprisingly complicated. Many apps describe themselves as safe, private or suitable for children, but those words do not always mean the same thing.
To choose a safe social media app for kids, look beyond the age rating. Check who can contact your child, whether accounts are private by default, how guardians are involved, what information the app collects and whether its design encourages healthy use.
The safest option will not simply add parental controls to a platform designed for adults. Its fundamental design should reflect the age, abilities and needs of the children expected to use it.
Liaura is being developed as a safe social media app for kids, with guardian-approved connections, child-friendly activities and no open stranger discovery. However, whichever app your family is considering, the following checklist will help you evaluate it properly.
The short answer: what should parents look for? How do you choose a safe social media app for kids?
A safer social app for children should offer:
✅ Guardian-managed or guardian-linked accounts
✅ Contacts approved by a parent or guardian
✅ No open stranger discovery
✅ Private settings by default
✅ Clear reporting and moderation
✅ No public likes or follower counts
✅ No infinite scrolling or pressure to remain online
✅ Age-appropriate activities and language
✅ Clear explanations of how children’s data is used
✅ Controls that are simple enough for families to understand
No app can remove every possible online risk. A well-designed children’s app should nevertheless reduce avoidable risks before a child starts using it, instead of expecting families to find and disable unsafe settings later.
1. Check how accounts and guardianship work
Begin by finding out how the child’s account is created.
Does a parent or guardian have to approve it? Can the guardian manage important permissions? Is it clear which parts of the profile other people can see?
For younger children, guardian involvement should be built into the account structure. It should not rely entirely on a child understanding a long privacy policy or navigating complicated settings alone.
Useful guardian controls can include:
Approving the child’s account
Approving contacts or connections
Managing profile visibility
Reviewing important safety notifications
Helping the child report or block someone
Adjusting permissions as the child becomes more independent
Guardian involvement should support communication and gradual independence. It should not require secret surveillance of every conversation.
You can see how Liaura’s guardian-supported account structure works in our How Liaura Works guide.
2. Find out who can contact your child
This is one of the most important checks.
An app may call itself child-friendly while still allowing unknown users to find, follow or message children. Look carefully at how contact requests, search, recommendations and group invitations operate.
For younger children, a safer structure is a closed network in which connections must be approved by a guardian. Children should not be publicly discoverable to unknown adults or other unverified users.
Ask:
Can strangers search for my child?
Can unknown users send messages or contact requests?
Are connections approved by a guardian?
Can users add a child to a group without approval?
Does the app recommend unfamiliar accounts?
Can location or school information appear publicly?
If the company cannot explain clearly who can reach a child, treat that as a warning sign.
3. Look for privacy by default
The safest settings should be active from the beginning.
Parents should not have to discover that a child’s profile, location or activity was public because they missed an obscure setting during registration.
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office says online services likely to be accessed by children should provide strong privacy by default, minimise the personal data collected and normally keep geolocation switched off. Services should also avoid encouraging children to weaken their privacy protections.
Before choosing an app, check:
Is the account private by default?
Is location tracking switched off?
How much personal information must the child provide?
Can other users see the child’s full name, age, school or location?
Does the app share information with advertisers or other companies?
Can the child and guardian delete the account and its data?
A children’s app should collect only the information it genuinely needs to provide its service.
4. Examine how the app holds a child’s attention
Safety is not limited to blocking harmful content. Product design also affects a child’s wellbeing.
Many mainstream platforms use public popularity metrics, autoplay, endless feeds and repeated notifications to encourage people to keep checking the app. These features can create pressure to gain likes, attract followers or stay online longer.
When assessing an app, look for:
A natural stopping point rather than infinite scrolling
No public follower counts
No public like counts or popularity rankings
Limited and purposeful notifications
No streaks that punish a child for taking a break
Activities with a clear beginning and end
No algorithm continuously recommending increasingly attention-grabbing material
The aim should be purposeful participation rather than maximum time on the app.
5. Check the moderation and reporting process
Even within a carefully controlled community, children may experience unkind behaviour, misunderstandings or inappropriate content. The app therefore needs clear moderation and reporting arrangements.
A report button alone is not enough. Find out what happens after someone makes a report.
Look for answers to these questions:
Can a child report content or another user easily?
Can a parent help with a report?
Can users block unwanted contact?
Are reports reviewed by trained people?
Does the company explain how quickly it responds?
Are serious safeguarding concerns escalated appropriately?
Does the app provide age-appropriate explanations of its rules?
Ofcom advises that online services have responsibilities for protecting children and should provide appropriate reporting and complaints processes. Families still play an important role, but responsibility should not rest solely with parents or children.
6. Look for age-appropriate content and activities
“Suitable for children” is a broad claim. An app appropriate for a teenager may not be appropriate for a six- or eight-year-old.
Look at the language, activities, controls and expected reading level. Younger children benefit from simple instructions, visual guidance and activities that encourage creativity, curiosity and positive communication.
Good activities might include:
Creative challenges
Drawing and making
Reading or storytelling
Nature and discovery
Puzzles and problem-solving
Sharing achievements with approved friends and family
Guided opportunities to practise kind online communication
A safe learning app for kids should make learning or creativity part of the experience—not use educational content merely as a route into an adult-style social feed.
The intended age group should be stated clearly. Avoid apps that use vague labels such as “for everyone” without explaining how the experience changes for children of different ages.
7. Read the app’s safety information—not just its marketing
Look for a dedicated safety centre, privacy explanation or parent guide.
Good safety information should explain:
Who the app is designed for
How accounts and connections work
What information is collected
How data is stored and deleted
How moderation works
How to report a problem
Which features guardians can manage
How the company responds when something goes wrong
This information should be written in clear language. If basic safety questions can only be answered by reading a lengthy legal document, the service is not making it easy for families to make an informed decision.
For practical guidance on privacy, devices and common online risks, visit the Liaura Online Safety Centre.
8. Consider whether the app supports family conversations
Technology works best when it supports—not replaces—regular conversations between children and trusted adults.
A safer app should make it easier for a child to ask for help. Reporting tools and guardian controls should be understandable, visible and presented without making the child feel that they have done something wrong.
Before your child begins using an app, discuss:
Who they are allowed to connect with
Which information should remain private
What they should do if something feels uncomfortable
Why they should never move a conversation to another app without asking
How to block and report another user
When to put the device down and speak to an adult
Ofcom recommends registering children with their real age so that appropriate protections can be applied. It also encourages parents to make online safety an ongoing conversation rather than a one-off warning.
Questions to ask before downloading a social app
Use this checklist when comparing apps.
Contacts and discovery
Can strangers discover or message my child?
Who approves new connections?
Can my child be added to public groups?
Privacy and data
Is the account private by default?
Is location tracking disabled?
What personal data does the app collect?
Is children’s information used for targeted advertising?
Can we delete the account and its data?
Design and wellbeing
Does the app use endless scrolling?
Are likes or follower counts public?
Does it pressure children to return through streaks or repeated notifications?
Does it provide natural stopping points?
Content and moderation
Is the content genuinely suitable for my child’s age?
Can my child easily report or block someone?
Who reviews reports?
Can a guardian help if something goes wrong?
Family controls
Does a guardian approve the account?
Can guardians approve contacts?
Are the controls easy to understand?
Does the app support growing independence appropriately?
If you cannot find clear answers, contact the company before creating an account.
Warning signs to look out for
Be cautious if an app:
⚠️ Allows unknown people to contact children by default
⚠️ Makes children’s profiles publicly searchable
⚠️ Requests unnecessary location, school or contact information
⚠️ Uses public follower counts or popularity rankings
⚠️ Encourages continuous scrolling without a stopping point
⚠️ Makes reporting difficult to find
⚠️ Gives only vague information about moderation
⚠️ Uses complicated privacy settings that favour public sharing
⚠️ Describes itself as safe without explaining its safeguards
⚠️ Relies exclusively on parents to prevent harm
Age ratings and app-store descriptions are useful starting points, but they should not be the only information you consider.
How Liaura is approaching safer social interaction
Liaura is designed as a safer first social experience for primary-age children, with guardians actively involved.
Its planned approach includes:
🛡️ Guardian-approved contacts
🚫 No open stranger discovery
💚 No public likes or follower counts
⏸️ No infinite scrolling
📣 Clear moderation and reporting
🎨 Age-appropriate activities
Instead of recreating an adult social network for younger users, Liaura is being built around smaller trusted communities and purposeful activities.
Explore Liaura’s safer social experience for children and learn how we are designing social interaction around trusted relationships, creativity and family involvement.
What about the proposed UK social media restrictions?
The UK discussion about age limits and children’s access to social media is continuing to develop. Whatever policy is eventually introduced, parents do not need to wait before considering whether a platform’s design is suitable for their child.
Age limits are only one part of the picture. The way an app handles contacts, privacy, attention, content and guardian involvement also matters.
Follow the latest developments in our UK Social Media Ban for Under-16s parent guide.
You can also read our explanation of which apps could be affected by a UK social media ban.
Frequently asked questions
What is the safest social media app for kids?
There is no single app that is safest for every child. Suitability depends on the child’s age, needs and level of independence. For younger children, look for guardian-managed accounts, approved contacts, private defaults, clear moderation and no open stranger discovery.
At what age should a child start using social media?
There is no universal age that suits every child. Many mainstream services set a minimum age of 13, but reaching that age does not automatically mean a platform is developmentally appropriate. Consider the app’s design, the child’s maturity and the level of adult support available.
Are parental controls enough to make an app safe?
Parental controls can help, but they cannot correct every risk in a service designed primarily for adults. Safety should be reflected in the app’s default privacy settings, contact model, content, moderation and attention design.
Should children use their real age when registering?
Yes. Entering a false date of birth may prevent an app from applying its age-based protections. Parents should check how the service uses age information and whether its experience is genuinely appropriate for that age group.
What should I do if an app does not explain its safety features?
Check its safety centre, privacy policy and parent information. If you still cannot determine who can contact your child, how reports are handled or what information is collected, contact the company or choose a service with clearer safeguards.
Can a social app also be educational?
Yes. Social interaction can support creativity, communication and collaborative learning when activities are age-appropriate and purposeful. Educational features should form a meaningful part of the experience rather than being added to an otherwise unsuitable adult-style social feed.
Final takeaway
When choosing a safe social media app for kids, do not judge it by a reassuring name or age rating alone.
Look at the structure beneath the marketing:
Who can reach your child?
Who approves their connections?
What is private by default?
How does the app respond when something goes wrong?
Does its design respect the child’s attention?
Does it provide something positive and age-appropriate to do?
The strongest children’s platforms make safer choices the easiest choices. They give families understandable controls, reduce unnecessary exposure and help children learn how to interact online within a more supportive environment.
Discover how Liaura is creating safer social media for kids through guardian-approved connections, purposeful activities and child-centred design.
