Social platform · High risk
Is Threads safe for your child?
Age guide
13+
We advise Threads from age 13 and up. Overall risk 7/10 (high risk).
- 5-8
- Threads is not appropriate for this age group due to its design as a public microblogging platform for text-based discussions and content sharing.
- 9-12
- This platform is not recommended for pre-teens as it is designed for users 13 and older, and content can include complex discussions and unfiltered information.
- 13-15
- Teenagers can use Threads to follow public figures and engage in discussions, but parental guidance is crucial to manage privacy settings, understand content moderation, and navigate potential exposure to misinformation or cyberbullying.
- 16+
- Older teens can generally manage their own Threads experience, but ongoing conversations about digital citizenship, source verification for information, and responsible online engagement remain valuable.
Threads is a social media platform launched by Meta, designed as a text-based conversation app, similar to X (Twitter). It allows users to post short updates, share links, photos, and videos, and engage in public discussions.
- Age guide
- 13+
- Overall risk
- 7/10
- Violence
- 6/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 8/10
- Stranger contact
- 6/10
- Addiction risk
- 8/10
- Language
- 7/10
- Influence
- 8/10
What parents should know
Threads is a text-based social media platform for sharing short posts and engaging in public discussions, similar to X (formerly Twitter). While it offers robust privacy controls, parents should ensure these are configured for safety and discuss the importance of digital literacy and responsible interaction given the public nature of content and potential for misinformation.
What to do about Threads
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 Threads is 13+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact Threads setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about Threads without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in Threads that mean it is time to step in.
Threads age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is Threads?
Parentwise puts Threads at 13+. We advise Threads from age 13 and up. Overall risk 7/10 (high risk). Violence scores 6/10, language 7/10, stranger contact 6/10 and addiction risk 8/10.
Can a 10 year old use Threads?
Not by default: we advise Threads from 13+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. This platform is not recommended for pre-teens as it is designed for users 13 and older, and content can include complex discussions and unfiltered information.
Can a 12 year old use Threads?
Not by default: we advise Threads from 13+, so at 12 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. This platform is not recommended for pre-teens as it is designed for users 13 and older, and content can include complex discussions and unfiltered information.
Can a 13 year old use Threads?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for Threads (13+). Teenagers can use Threads to follow public figures and engage in discussions, but parental guidance is crucial to manage privacy settings, understand content moderation, and navigate potential exposure to misinformation or cyberbullying.
Is Threads appropriate for kids?
Threads is a text-based social media platform for sharing short posts and engaging in public discussions, similar to X (formerly Twitter). Parentwise rates Threads overall as high risk (7/10), with stranger contact at 6/10 and addiction risk at 8/10.
Is Threads family friendly?
Threads is one of the higher-risk titles we rate, so treat it as supervised rather than family viewing. While it offers robust privacy controls, parents should ensure these are configured for safety and discuss the importance of digital literacy and responsible interaction given the public nature of content and potential for misinformation.
Threads parents guide: what should a parent know first?
Threads is a text-based social media platform for sharing short posts and engaging in public discussions, similar to X (formerly Twitter). The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (6/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (8/10).
Is Threads safe for kids?
We advise Threads from age 13 and up. Overall risk 7/10 (high risk). While it offers robust privacy controls, parents should ensure these are configured for safety and discuss the importance of digital literacy and responsible interaction given the public nature of content and potential for misinformation.
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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.