REDDIT
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MINIMUM AGE: 13+
WHAT IS IT? Reddit is a community-based forum, where people write posts covering many different topics, which others can then comment on. WHAT WE SAY: Avoid. 🔞 Exposure to Inappropriate Content Reddit hosts countless communities, and while many are harmless, some subreddits include pornographic, violent, hateful, or otherwise explicit material. Age restrictions exist but are easy to bypass, making it unsuitable for younger users. 🔐 Privacy Concerns: While Reddit allows anonymous posting, it has experienced data breaches in the past. Users should be cautious about what they share, as anonymity doesn't guarantee privacy. 📱 Cyberbullying and Harassment: Toxic behaviour thrives under the cloak of anonymity. Many users encounter trolling, hate speech, targeted harassment, or be drawn into hostile debates, especially in politically or socially charged subreddits. 🚨 Misinformation and Extremism Reddit has a history of controversy involving subreddits that promote racism, homophobia, body shaming, misogyny, and extremist views. 🧑💻 Online Predators & Grooming The anonymous nature of Reddit can enable predators to initiate inappropriate conversations, especially in casual or interest-based communities where boundaries are unclear. 🕳️ Dark Web & Illegal Content References While Reddit bans illegal activity, users still share tips or links that reference dark web usage, illegal drug markets, hacking guides, and other illicit behavior. Content slips through moderation. 💊 Mental Health Triggers and Harmful Advice Mental health forums are popular on Reddit, but advice is peer-based and unregulated. Some threads may include self-harm content, suicide ideation, eating disorder promotion, or toxic coping strategies. 🎲 Gambling and Addiction Risks Subreddits related to sports betting, crypto gambling, or trading "memestocks" often glamorise risky behaviour, encouraging addiction or financial loss, particularly among impressionable users. |
SAFETY TIPS :
We do not recommend children and young people use this app! 📲Understand the app: Familiarise yourself with the platforms features and how they work. Knowing how the app works will help you guide your child effectively. 👨👧Parental supervision: Check their interactions and adjust privacy settings accordingly. Try to stay up-to-date on Internet trends and best practices. 📢Underage Accounts: The app might have an age restriction but it lacks a proper age verification process. Therefore, there’s little stopping users from faking their dates of birth or creating bogus profiles and targetting children and young people. 👥Manage friend requests: Teach your child only to accept friend requests from people they know in real life. 📷 Cover the Webcam When Not in Use Physically cover your camera when you're not ready to go live. Always be mindful of what’s visible in your background—it can reveal location clues. 🧠 Trust Your Instincts If something feels uncomfortable, it is uncomfortable. Leave the chat immediately and don’t engage with users who seem suspicious, aggressive, or inappropriate. 🖥️ Place Devices in Shared Spaces Keep internet-connected devices in living rooms or kitchens, not bedrooms. This makes risky behavior less likely and easier to notice. 🙋♀️Conversations: Have open discussions with children and young people about the topics associated with online use - bullying, grooming, sexual and criminal exploitation, body image, as well as accessing support and how to report. 🚨 Know the Signs of Trouble Watch for behaviour changes—like anxiety, secrecy, mood swings, or suddenly deleting apps. These can signal something inappropriate happened online. 💬Conversations: Have open discussions with children and young people about the topics associated with online use - bullying, grooming, sexual and criminal exploitation, body image, as well as accessing support and how to report. FURTHER SUPPORT: For parents/ carers If you're worried about your child or need support call NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. If you discover criminal content when online then report it directly to the police or the Internet Watch Foundation. If you're worried about online grooming or sexual behaviour online then report directly to the police or contact CEOP. For Children & young people if they're worried or want to talk, encourage them to contact Childline Online or call 0800 1111. Check out our Resource Centre for further information and useful online safety tips.line safety tips. 
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