✍️ About the author
Francis Callaghan lives in Australia and uses social media daily to connect with his friends. This is one of a series of articles Francis is writing to educate parents/guardians and kids about the online world, from a kid's point of view!
In December 2024 Francis Callaghan conducted a survey of 20 kids to get an idea of what apps were being used by his 12 and13-year-old peers.
Here's a list of the top 10 apps they reported using and Francis's description of them:
Top 10 apps: TikTok - For watching short videos, whether it's just funny videos, dancing tutorials or even homework help. It's like TV, but bite-sized with way more choices.
Snapchat (we call this Snap) - A lot of us use Snapchat for quick images, funny filters, and keeping streaks (check out my blog 'Why Is Snapchat So Popular Among Teens? Let's break it down'). It's also a fun way to chat.
iMessages - the standard messaging app we all start with on our iPhones. It's basic, gets the job done, but for kids, it is basic (unlike Snap) and isn't always what they we want. We want fun exciting and interesting. For adults on the other hand, way better as they don't want blaring colours and weird filter functions getting thrown at them (um... like Snap).
YouTube - Whether you're trying to watch sports or trying to watch your favourite gamer playing video games, there is so much kid content. For me, it's the gaming videos, and 'how-to' educational videos I watch to learn how to do something. And not just YouTube makes the videos, but the community makes them, literally anyone can make a channel.
Instagram - The place to visit about funny skits, art stuff too. But sometimes, there's weird or unsafe stuff too.
FaceTime - Chatting and connecting in real time. FaceTime is a hit for us and families and friends.
Roblox - This app is about play and games. Roblox is like a giant playground where you can also chat with other players.
WhatsApp - A messaging app for staying in touch, especially for family groups or friends without other social media.
X (formerly Twitter) - This is popular with kids but some of us use it to follow famous people or get updates about games.
Facebook - It's more of a parent thing, but some kids use it too (if their parents/guardians let them).
WeChat - Big in some families for chatting, especially if they have family in other countries.
Discord - A chatting platform where you can build servers and hang out with friends online. Most of my friends don't use Discord, feels like it is for older kids.
Why should parents/guardians care? Parents and guardians, this list isn't just a bunch of apps, it's an online world your kids are living in. Each app has cool things about it, but they also have risks. Some apps let strangers message your child. Others might show too much about where your child is or what they're doing.
The best thing you can do? Talk with your kids about it. Try questions like, "Hey, what apps do you like using? What's cool about the ones you like?". Not only will you learn more about what makes these apps fun, but you can also decide if any safety settings or rules are a good idea.
Stay tuned for my survey results, I can't wait to see what apps win and what surprises pop up. In the meantime, share this article with your parents. Who knows, it might start a conversation about staying safe and having fun online!
