Social platform · Low risk
Is Goodreads safe for your child?
Age guide
13+
We advise Goodreads from age 13 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk).
- 5-8
- Goodreads is a social cataloging website for books, and its features like reviews, ratings, and social interaction are not designed for this age group.
- 9-12
- Children in this age range can use Goodreads to track books they've read or want to read, but parental guidance is recommended for interacting with the social features like comments and friend requests.
- 13-15
- Teenagers can actively participate in Goodreads by writing reviews, joining groups, and connecting with friends, but they should be mindful of privacy settings and responsible online communication when engaging with the broader community.
- 16+
- Older teens can fully utilize Goodreads for discovering books, engaging in literary discussions, and connecting with authors, while understanding the nuances of online community etiquette and managing their digital footprint.
Goodreads is a social cataloging website that allows users to store and rate books they have read or want to read. It also features social networking aspects, allowing users to connect with friends, join groups, and discuss books.
- Age guide
- 13+
- Overall risk
- 3/10
- Violence
- 1/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 2/10
- Stranger contact
- 3/10
- Addiction risk
- 5/10
- Language
- 2/10
- Influence
- 4/10
What parents should know
Goodreads is a popular social platform for book enthusiasts, allowing users to track reading, write reviews, and connect with other readers. While it promotes literacy and community, parents should help manage privacy settings to control social interactions and discuss responsible online engagement. Monitoring for exposure to mature content or unwanted contact is advisable, especially for younger teens.
What to do about Goodreads
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for Goodreads is 13+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact Goodreads setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about Goodreads without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in Goodreads that mean it is time to step in.
Goodreads age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is Goodreads?
Parentwise puts Goodreads at 13+. We advise Goodreads from age 13 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). Violence scores 1/10, language 2/10, stranger contact 3/10 and addiction risk 5/10.
Can a 10 year old use Goodreads?
Not by default: we advise Goodreads from 13+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Children in this age range can use Goodreads to track books they've read or want to read, but parental guidance is recommended for interacting with the social features like comments and friend requests.
Can a 12 year old use Goodreads?
Not by default: we advise Goodreads from 13+, so at 12 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Children in this age range can use Goodreads to track books they've read or want to read, but parental guidance is recommended for interacting with the social features like comments and friend requests.
Can a 13 year old use Goodreads?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for Goodreads (13+). Teenagers can actively participate in Goodreads by writing reviews, joining groups, and connecting with friends, but they should be mindful of privacy settings and responsible online communication when engaging with the broader community.
Is Goodreads appropriate for kids?
Goodreads is a popular social platform for book enthusiasts, allowing users to track reading, write reviews, and connect with other readers. Parentwise rates Goodreads overall as low risk (3/10), with stranger contact at 3/10 and addiction risk at 5/10.
Is Goodreads family friendly?
Goodreads is one of the lower-risk titles we rate. While it promotes literacy and community, parents should help manage privacy settings to control social interactions and discuss responsible online engagement.
Goodreads parents guide: what should a parent know first?
Goodreads is a popular social platform for book enthusiasts, allowing users to track reading, write reviews, and connect with other readers. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (3/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (5/10).
Is Goodreads safe for kids?
We advise Goodreads from age 13 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). While it promotes literacy and community, parents should help manage privacy settings to control social interactions and discuss responsible online engagement.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.