Middle Primary

Ages 8-9

Early Primary (5-7)Middle Primary (8-9)Upper Primary (10-11)

By age 8-9, many children are encountering social media for the first time, often below platform minimum age requirements. Most social media platforms have a minimum age of 13, yet a third of 8-year-olds already have profiles.

33% of 8-year-olds have their own social media profile (Ofcom 2025)

Average first social media account created at age 9 (Ofcom 2025)

Key Risks at This Stage

CRITICAL

Underage Social Media Use

Most social media platforms have a minimum age of 13 (under COPPA/UK GDPR). However, a third of 8-year-olds already have profiles. Age verification remains weak across all major platforms.

Recommended Actions

Delay Social Media

The minimum age is 13 for a reason. Resist pressure to allow early access. If they already have accounts, review privacy settings immediately.

Family Agreement

Create a written family agreement about screen time, acceptable apps, and what to do if something goes wrong. Review it together monthly.

Conversation Starters

Personal Information

"What information is safe to share online? What should we keep private?" (Guide: Name, age, school, address, photos are all private)

Online Friends

"Who do you talk to when you're playing online? Do you ever chat with people you haven't met in real life?"

Platforms to Watch

YouTube

Min age: 13

Risk

Algorithm-driven content, comments, live chat

Action

Use YouTube Kids until 13. Enable Restricted Mode. Disable autoplay.

TikTok