updates | May 06, 2026

Is it safe for a child to have an email address?

According to the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, no online service provider can collect information on kids under this age without consent. Gmail, iCloud, and a few others have family plan options for children under the age of 13 that meet the requirements of the law.

Can a 10 year old have an email address?

You can create a Google Account for your child under 13 (or the applicable age in your country), and manage it using Family Link. With Google Accounts, children get access to Google products like Search, Chrome, and Gmail, and you can set up basic digital ground rules to supervise them.

Can a 12 year old have an email account?

An email account for a 12-year old should be subject to adult supervision. An email account for a preteen requires adult supervision for his or her own protection. It does not and cannot control a child’s unsupervised Internet surfing, or instant messages or emails between the child and an undesirable individual.

Is it OK for kids to talk to strangers online?

A stranger who starts chatting about things of a more personal nature can be a red flag. Don’t go off-platform. If someone asks your child to go into a one-on-one direct chat or another messaging service altogether, where there’s no moderation, your child should know better than to follow.

What is the minimum age for an email account?

Anyone aged 13 and above can set up and manage their own Google accounts. The minimum age restriction is in place because of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). This act limits online services from collecting personal information of users under the age of 13 without their parental consent.

How old do you have to be to get an email account on Gmail?

Is it OK to talk to strangers online?

Is it okay to talk to strangers online? It’s perfectly fine to talk with strangers online, as long as you stick to the common sense safety rules. The easiest way to keep safe is to establish commonalities in a more “public” online space before moving to a private chat.

Should I let my child have internet friends?

Parents may be worried, but experts aren’t concerned. They say online friendships, which often form within teens’ extended networks, are generally OK as long as teens balance the interactions, stay safe and realize the limitations. In fact, the trend could continue as social media grows in scope and popularity.

Is talking to strangers dangerous?

Telling your child that strangers are dangerous can confuse her. Some kids with learning and thinking differences are prone to stress and anxiety. Talking about how to protect themselves from dangerous people might be scary. That anxiety might keep your child from hearing and remembering important messages.

Is it bad to make friends online?

Having online friends isn’t bad as long as you go about it safely. Before you make online friends real friends, make sure to video chat and talk on the phone. Be sure to always bring someone with you when you meet people that you’ve only had digital communication with so far in person.

Is it dangerous to make friends online?

The dangers of meeting someone over the internet can include sexual predators, thieves, blackmailers and the fear of not knowing who is actually behind the phone. Anyone can act like someone they are not when they are behind any electronic device, and it is very easy to make good conversations flow over text.