Raising Is Snapchat safe for kids? What parents should know
Is Snapchat safe for kids? Snapchat is rated 13+ on Apple's App Store, with infrequent violence, horror, drug references, and sexual content, and messaging with other users. Its Family Center lets parents see a teen's friends and who they message, but not the messages. New Mexico and Utah have sued Snap over child safety, which Snap disputes.
Snapchat at a glance
- ✓Official rating above age 7
App Store: 13+ - ✓Contact with other players or strangers
Messaging and chat - ✓Purchases with real money
Snapchat+ and other purchases - –Paid random items
None found - ✓Violence or scary content in rating descriptors
App Store: infrequent violence, horror, sexual content - ✓Government lawsuits, fines, or safety warnings
Lawsuits by New Mexico (2024) and Utah (2025)
Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count.
| Type | Messaging and camera app by Snap Inc., known for disappearing messages |
|---|---|
| App Store (iOS) | 13+ — infrequent violence, horror, drugs, sexual content; contains messaging, chat, social media source |
| Parental controls | Family Center: parents see friends and who a teen messaged, not the messages |
| Lawsuits | New Mexico (2024) and Utah (2025) sued Snap over child safety; Snap disputes the claims |
| Purchases | Snapchat+ $4.99 a month, extra storage, paid Snapstreak restores |
Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?
Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.
What is Snapchat?
Short answer: A messaging app where photos and messages usually disappear after they're viewed.
It also has Stories, a map that can show friends' locations (Snap Map), short videos, and an AI chatbot called My AI. It's made by Snap Inc.
Is Snapchat safe for kids? The facts
Short answer: It's rated 13+ and built for messaging, with lawsuits pending over child safety.
- Rating: App Store 13+, with infrequent violence, horror, alcohol and drug references, and sexual content or nudity.
- Parental controls: Family Center is optional; parents see the friend list and who a teen messaged in the last 7 days, not message content. Teens can leave it.
- Purchases: Snapchat+ at $4.99 a month, storage, and paid Snapstreak restores.
Has Snapchat been sued?
Short answer: Yes. New Mexico's attorney general sued Snap in September 2024, alleging Snapchat facilitates sextortion and child sexual exploitation. Utah sued in June 2025, alleging addictive design, deceptive safety claims, and problems with My AI. Snap disputes the claims, and as of October 2026 the cases hadn't been decided.
The habit kids may copy: the streak
Snapstreaks count the days in a row two people have sent each other snaps.
Try tonight: a streak that's yours
Start a family streak off the screen: one drawing, one hug, or one walk a day. Ask: "What streak do you want to keep?" In our program, this is the lesson "Two Roads": noticing that there's a choice.
What the research says
A 2022 meta-analysis of 87 studies with about 159,000 children ages 12 and under found that more screen time was linked to slightly more behavior problems; the link was small and doesn't show cause and effect. More in screen time and child development.
Why you can trust this page: the main facts link to their sources, a separate reviewer checks each page before it goes live, and the date shows when we last checked. How we review · Report an error
FAQ
What age is Snapchat for?
Apple's App Store rates it 13+.
Does Snapchat have parental controls?
Yes, Family Center: parents see a teen's friends and who they messaged recently, not the messages.
Has Snapchat been sued?
Yes. New Mexico (2024) and Utah (2025) sued Snap over child safety; Snap disputes the claims.
Do Snapchat messages really disappear?
They're deleted by default after viewing, but they can be screenshotted or saved.
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Read next →Raising Stoics is a 12-week program for ages 5–6, built on Stoic philosophy and developmental psychology. One lesson is "Two Roads": noticing that there's a choice.