X

High risk

Powerful social platform with adult-focused content; not appropriate for young teens without active parental oversight.

Ages 13–15Ages 16+

Minimum age	13
Strangers can contact	Yes
Location sharing	No
Disappearing messages
Parental visibility	Limited

What it actually is

X (formerly Twitter) is a real-time social platform where users post, share, and discuss news, culture, and current events. It combines public conversations, direct messaging, live video streaming, and an AI assistant called Grok. In 2026, X spun off XChat, a standalone end-to-end-encrypted messenger tied to X accounts. The app exposes users to largely unfiltered content from millions of voices globally, and many of its trust-and-safety features have been pared back since 2022.

Is X safe for a specific age?

• Privacy: Control who can message you directly (Everyone, Followers Only, or No One). • Safety: Enable "Quality Filter" to reduce low-quality/abusive replies and "Muted Words" to hide posts containing specific terms. • Algorithmic Feed: Switch from algorithmic "Home" feed to "Following" to see only posts from accounts your teen follows. • Block & Report: Use block and report tools liberally for harassment or inappropriate content. • Notifications: Limit notifications to specific accounts or keywords to reduce constant alerts. • Age & Account: Ensure the account is set to the correct birthdate; X's enforcement of age restrictions is inconsistent.

→ Check your kid's other apps → Look up app terms & teen slang

High risk

Avatar-based social network with unmoderated chat rooms and cosmetic pay-to-win mechanics; watch closely for teens.

Ages 13–15Ages 16+

Updated May 2026

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