How old is a Snapchat account? And why is it forbidden for children under 13?

To remember:

Although Snapchat is best known for being a social platform more geared towards the younger generation, you still need to be at least a certain age to be able to use the app's attractive features. Age restrictions are common to almost all social networks.

In the case of Snapchat, we'll take a look in this article at the age at which you can become a user, and the reasons why. Let's go !

And for other topics related to Snapchat, such as how to monitor your child's Snapchat account for example, please refer to our articles.

What is the minimum age to create an account on Snapchat?

As with most social networking platforms, the legal age for a Snapchat account is 13 years old. Children under this age are strictly not allowed to have an account or use Snapchat services for their own safety.

But they must also have prior consent of their parents or legal guardians until the age of 18 in order to access the services.

Does Snapchat's age limit (13 years old) mean that the platform is safe for 13-year-olds? Not necessarily!

Companies are particularly affected by this restriction, as they cannot legally collect information about users under the age of 13, according to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule in force in the United States.

Why is Snapchat banned for children under 13?

According to studies, it is estimated that by the age of 13, a child will does not yet have all his mental faculties to weigh up the pros and cons and set limits. He is easily influenced by the things it sees without filtering them and can easily give in to addictive behavior.

Initially, a version reserved for under-13s ("Snapchat for Kids") was available, but the program was discontinued following a request from children's rights advocates to preserve their still "fragile" mental health.

In addition, Snapchat is seen as an application that aims to make its users dependent. It's also worth bearing in mind that, like many social networks, it also has its shortcomings, despite all its good points. If you'd like to find out more about Snapchat's downsides, read on... why Snapchat is badespecially for teenagers.

How do people under 13 manage to open a Snapchat account?

Despite the age restriction, Snapchat's app lacks authentication to prove real age when subscribing. This may encourage children under the legal age to use Snapchat. misinformation (in this case, the date of birth) to use the application, without the parents' knowledge.

He may also enlist the help of older accomplices, asking them to create an account for him with their identities so he can use it. The fact that the application is not authorized for under-13s is not a barrier for children, and there's no shortage of ways for them to access the platform if they're not closely supervised by an adult.

How can I protect my child on Snapchat?

There are various ways to protect your child on this social network. How can you do this?

Add your child to the Parental Center

You can register your child on Snapchat, but for their safety, it is recommended that you include them in the Parental Center. To do so:

1. Install Snapchat and log in to create an account (yes, you need to have an account!).
2. Make sure you have the latest version of the application.
3. Add Add your teenager as a friend on Snapchat by entering their username in the search bar.
4. See you in the Family Center and follow the process creation.
5. On the invitation screen, select your teen's name (by choosing from a list of recent friends or searching for them) and click "Send an invitation.
6. Your teenager will see the invitation sent as a new Direct Chat message from you. It is imperative that your teenager review and accept the invitation to join the Parental Center.

As with a regular Snapchat conversation, the message will be deleted immediately or 24 hours after your teen has seen it, depending on their settings. So please remind them personally to accept the invitation!

Remark : 

Parents under the age of 25 will not be allowed to send invitations to the Family Center, while Snapchatters aged 18 and over will not be able to accept invitations on this social network.

Restricting my child's content on Snapchat

As a member of the Parenting Centre, you can limit certain content which your teenager can view in the Stories and Spotlight tabs. Although content on the platform is moderated, some posts contain images or captions that do not explicitly violate our Community Rules, but contain sensitive or suggestive content (photos, or other ). To restrict certain content on your online teenager :

1. See you in the Settings.
2. Go to the "Privacy control.
3. Click on the "Parenting Center;
4. Click on the option "Restricting sensitive content.

When this setting is updated, your teenager will be informed.

This feature also allows you to collect important data on Snapchat! For example, you can have access to messages, (individual or group exchanges) when you add them to this Parental Center. On Snap, you can also access exchanges deleted, blocked or deleted by your teenager.

In summary, like many social networks, Snapchat is prohibited for children under the age of 13! There are many reasons for this, but it is mainly a question of safety and caring for children.

Once they reach a certain age, our children will likely want to sign up for social media despite the risks and dangers. Fortunately, the platform has implemented specific safety measures for parents or guardians to protect their children online from the dangers that lurk there!