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Grade 11

How Young Is Too Young for Social Media?

At what age should people be allowed to use social media?

Children have to be at least 13 to sign up for most social media platforms. But we know that many tweens work around this restriction. By doing so they can connect with peers and have fun, but they're also susceptible  to a number of risks, from privacy to bullying to challenges to their social-emotional well-being. Reflecting on when kids should be allowed to use social media can help us think through the risks and rewards of using social media, regardless of our age.

See the U.K. version of this lesson plan

Learning Objectives:

  • Explain why websites that collect personal information have an age requirement of 13 in the United States.

  • Identify the risks of targeted advertising, especially when it is targeted to children.

  • Use the Take a Stand thinking routine to explore different perspectives about what age is best for starting to use social media.

Key Vocabulary: targeted advertising  
targeted advertising:
advertisements that are shown to you based on information that has been collected about you (location, browsing history, interests, age, etc.)
This lesson meets standards for  Common Core ELA,  ISTE,  CASEL, and  AASL .  See standards
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Lesson Plan

45 mins.

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Lesson last updated: May 2022
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