Social media and messaging: privacy and contact settings
How to review who can see your child's posts, who can contact them, and how to manage messaging and location sharing across popular social platforms.
What to do now
Review who can contact your child and what they can see, in the apps they use most.
Why it matters
Contact and privacy settings differ between apps and change often, so the reliable steps live in each service's own official help pages.
Initial steps
- Start with one app at a time. Look in its settings for privacy, contact and messaging options.
- Prefer private accounts where offered, and limit messages to people your child already knows.
- Check who can approve purchases and downloads: on Apple devices use Apple's parental controls, and on Android use Family Link.
- Ask your child to show you their settings — they often know where things are, and it keeps the conversation open.
What the full guide will cover
This guide will cover how to review privacy and contact settings across popular social media and messaging apps — who can see posts, who can send messages, how location sharing works, and how to talk about these settings with your child.
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Related guides
Setting up an iPhone or iPad for your child
Using built-in parental controls, screen time settings, content restrictions, and purchase approvals to set up an Apple device for a child.
Android phones and tablets: a family starting point
Using Google Family Link and built-in Android settings to manage screen time, app permissions, content filters, and purchases for a child's device.
Reviewing your digital footprint and location sharing
What others can find about you online, how to review what you share, and where location sharing is active across apps and devices.