The most recent survey, fielded online by the global research firm Ipsos from Oct. 14–22, 2021, asked 1,019 parents about their practices around screen time, social media, guns, mental health, conversations with children and the COVID-19 vaccines — with some of the questions posed as a follow-on to a 2020 survey.
How children are allowed to use social media, which apps they use, how parents monitor, and how parents talk to their kids about social media.
Behavior: Social media platforms used by child, according to parent (2020)
All Children
Ages 0-5
n = 345
Ages 6-12
n = 501
Ages 13-17
n = 507
39.2%
24.9%
32.9%
55.0%
Snapchat
31.4%
11.6%
25.9%
50.3%
TikTok
24.2%
14.2%
24.0%
31.4%
19.9%
15.1%
15.0%
28.0%
11.0%
8.1%
9.0%
15.0%
Other
5.1%
1.2%
3.0%
9.9%
None
40.9%
67.8%
47.5%
16.2%
Behavior: At what age did you allow your child on social media? (2020)
Opened their first account when they were:
All Children
Children who are currently
6-12 years old
n = 501
Children who are currently
13-18 years old
n = 507
Under age 5
13.1%
9.1%
2.1%
Age 5
6.4%
4.2%
0.2%
Age 6
1.8%
4.2%
0.7%
Age 7
3.1%
8.4%
0.7%
Age 8
6.4%
17.1%
1.4%
Age 9
6.0%
14.4%
2.4%
Age 10
12.3%
24.0%
8.2%
Age 11
6.9%
10.3%
6.6%
Age 12
16.1%
8.4%
25.2%
Age 13
14.0%
N/A
26.4%
Age 14
7.4%
N/A
13.9%
Age 15
4.0%
N/A
7.5%
Age 16
1.9%
N/A
3.5%
Age 17
0.5%
N/A
0.9%
Age 18
0.1%
N/A
0.2%
Note: This data represents parents who said their child currently uses at least one social media account.
Norms: At what age do you think most parents allow children on social media? (2020)
Perceived age
All Children
Children who are currently
6-12 years old
n = 501
Children who are currently
13-18 years old
n = 507
Under age 5
5.8%
3.0%
2.4%
Age 5
3.5%
2.8%
0.2%
Age 6
2.5%
4.2%
1.4%
Age 7
2.8%
5.2%
0.6%
Age 8
7.4%
11.0%
4.1%
Age 9
5.8%
9.0%
4.5%
Age 10
22.3%
25.3%
20.9%
Age 11
4.9%
5.2%
5.9%
Age 12
16.6%
13.4%
21.3%
Age 13
13.5%
10.6%
18.1%
Age 14
5.6%
3.6%
8.1%
Age 15
3.3%
2.2%
4.3%
Age 16
2.8%
1.8%
3.6%
Age 17
0.7%
0.2%
1.4%
Age 18
2.6%
2.6%
3.2%
Rules: How parents monitor social media (2021)
All Children
Ages 0-5
n = 323
Ages 6-12
n = 396
Ages 13-17
n = 300
I have household rules that limit the amount of screen time my child can have
39.0%
40.6%
48.5%
24.7%
I talked to my child about their online activities
34.3%
17.0%
43.4%
41.0%
I checked my child's phone or computer to see which websites my child visited
22.5%
12.4%
30.8%
22.3%
I read through my child's social media posts
11.7%
5.3%
16.4%
12.3%
I am "friends" with my child on social media so I can see what they post
15.0%
4.6%
18.4%
21.7%
I used electronic parental controls to place limits on my child's online activities or cell phone use
25.1%
25.4%
30.6%
17.7%
I took my child's phone to look through their texts, emails, and direct messages
14.8%
6.5%
19.4%
17.7%
I used other strategies to regulate my child's screen time
7.7%
9.3%
8.8%
4.3%
I don't actively regulate my child's use of screens
18.8%
26.0%
7.1%
26.7%
Talking to teens: Frequency of conversations about social media imagery (2021)
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
How often do you talk to your child about comparing themselves or how they look to the people and images they see on social media?
13.7%
22.7%
34.3%
22.3%
7.0%
N = 300
Talking to children 6 to 12: Frequency of conversations about social media imagery (2021)
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
How often do you talk to your child about comparing themselves or how they look to the people and images they see on social media?
14.9%
18.7%
32.6%
19.7%
N = 396
