What does your child want to join in with?
Ask for a specific example: Is it messages from friends, videos about an interest or wanting to share something? Look at the function your child wants rather than just the app’s name. Posting to a public audience is different from messaging a friend they know.
If the request is about joining in with classmates, talk to the other parents. Find a way to share group arrangements that also reaches children without an account. A child should not have to explain the family’s decision to friends on their own.
Check the service first
Read the service’s current age requirements and terms, and follow the rules where you live. An app-store content rating and the minimum age for an account are not necessarily the same thing. Use the correct date of birth so any age-based settings can work.
Check who can contact your child, what information the profile displays, and whether the content and purchases suit them. The Danish Media Council’s Platform Guide is one starting point. If the service is unsuitable, choose an alternative or wait and agree when to revisit the request.
Practise the first post together
Make a draft without sharing it. Who should be able to see it? Are other people included, and have they agreed? Could the picture or text reveal a school, address or regular meeting place? Let your child explain their choices, then review the account’s privacy settings together.
Practise receiving a request from someone they do not know. Your child does not need to accept to be polite. Find the reject, block and report features before there is a conflict to deal with.
Agree how you will help
Choose an adult your child can turn to and a time to check in. Ask about enjoyable experiences as well as difficult ones. Explain that help is still available after sharing something or replying to a message they regret.
One check at sign-up is not enough. Review choices when features or friendships change. Settings can limit some kinds of contact and sharing, but they cannot make an account free from problems.