A recent report by Qustodio, a company specializing in parental control software, has shed light on an unexpected trend: a significant number of young children, particularly those aged 7 to 9, are using X (formerly Twitter). According to the data, over 30% of this age group have accounts on X, and nearly half of them already own their own tablets, which they use to access various apps and games.
At first glance, X might not seem like a platform that would attract younger users. The site is known for its focus on politics, breaking news, and, under Elon Musk’s leadership, an increase in misinformation and controversial content. It also prominently features Musk’s own political views, including his support for Trump. However, Qustodio suggests that X’s integration with Google Search might be a key factor in drawing in these young users. When children search for topics that interest them, X posts often appear in the search results, piquing their curiosity and leading them to explore the platform.
Qustodio believes that many of these young users likely stumbled upon X through these Google searches. Parents, who often view X as an “older” social media app, may not think to restrict or block it, as they would with more popular apps like TikTok or Snapchat. Unfortunately, this oversight could expose children to inappropriate content. The report highlights the potential dangers, noting that X could expose young users to hate speech, pornography, and disinformation. Alarmingly, other studies have shown that 13% of all posts on X contain adult content.
What makes Qustodio’s findings particularly noteworthy is that they are based on actual app usage data from around 180,000 families, rather than surveys. This gives a clearer picture of what apps children are really using. The report revealed that access to social media starts at a very young age. In addition to the 31% of 7- to 9-year-olds on X, 28% are using Reddit, and 26% have Facebook accounts.
Yasmin London, a global online safety expert at Qoria, Qustodio’s parent company, pointed out that many parents might not be aware of the risks associated with these platforms. Apps like X and Reddit might not be on their radar because they aren’t as trendy among younger audiences, but both platforms can expose children to harmful content.
The report also found that by the age of 10, 42% of U.S. children have their own smartphones. Once they reach this age, about 40% of them begin using TikTok, spending an average of 121 minutes per day on the app, which equates to roughly 240 videos per day.
As children grow older, their app usage evolves. For 10- to 12-year-olds, Roblox and YouTube are the most popular apps, with 62% and 59% of kids using them, respectively. However, X usage rises to 41% in this age group, while Reddit usage increases to 39%, and Facebook to 36%.
When children reach their teenage years, the trends shift again. Roblox’s popularity begins to decline, with usage dropping to 52% among 13- to 15-year-olds, while apps like Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon Shopping take the lead. TikTok remains popular, used by 47% of this age group, who spend an average of 127 minutes per day on the app. Snapchat also becomes more prevalent, with 38% of teens using it for about 94 minutes daily. X and Reddit continue to be popular among this demographic, each used by 44%, followed closely by Facebook at 42%.
For older teens, aged 16 to 18, the top three apps remain Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon. TikTok is used by 42% of this group, averaging 108 minutes per day, while Instagram garners 72 minutes of daily use. Communication apps like Discord and Snapchat are also widely used, by 40% and 39% of these teens, respectively. X and Reddit maintain a steady 40% usage, while Facebook slightly edges them out at 43%.
Given that Qustodio’s data is drawn from families using parental control software, the real-world percentages could be even higher, particularly in households where no such controls are in place. The report suggests that parents may not be as vigilant about blocking apps like X, Reddit, and Facebook, potentially leaving children more exposed to their content.
The company no longer maintains a communications team under Musk’s leadership.