X Parental Controls: How to Make Ex-Twitter Safe for Kids

X, formerly Twitter, does not have specific parental controls like other social media platforms. In addition, it does not have settings that can limit how long a person spends on the platform or a kid-friendly version.

In fact, X updated its official usage policies to now allow NSFW content, which says, “You may share consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behavior, provided it’s properly labeled and not prominently displayed.”

This is where the line between porn and art gets blurred. Thus, we’ve prepared this guide to help you explore the best options for applying Twitter parental control with settings and third-party tools like Eyezy phone monitoring app.

X/Twitter Age Restriction

X requires its users to be at least 13 years old to create an account. In some countries, users have to require parental or guardian consent for users 13 years and older.

X states that it can lock an X account if a user does not meet its age limit. Nevertheless, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found that some 93% of youth aged 11 to 17 say they have an account on several social media platforms, including ex-Twitter, with a quarter (24%) misreporting their age when doing so.

Is X Safe For Kids?

X is not safe for kids. As one of the most frequented social media sites for news hitting the headlines, lots of people use Twitter to troll, abuse, vent and spread negativity. Thus, it’s filled with lots of inappropriate content that users can interact with, since Twitter allows unfiltered access.

What Are the Dangers of X?

Younger users face various dangers on X.

1. X allows Direct Messages
   Anyone can send direct messages to a Twitter account owner. This means that your child can receive grooming messages, such as the 13-year-old Utah boy who was groomed publicly on Twitter and kidnapped.
2. X allows Unfiltered Browsing
   X’s search methods are similar to Google ‘s, with any search term turning up relevant results. Anyone can type in the term ‘porn’ or variations of it like ‘p0rn’ and ‘seggs,’ and it will serve relevant results.
   This makes it easy for children to access sensitive content, and Twitter allows it. Users can post consensually produced NSFW (Not Safe for Work) content as long as it’s labeled as NSFW. Therefore, anyone can access such content, including kids.
3. Retweeting May Lead to Cyberbullying
   Cyberbullying is one of the most challenging forms of bullying, and retweets fuel the fire. Teen retweets resulted in suspensions at Salem Area High School, and Science Direct claims that Twitter serves as a platform for online and offline bullying.
4. X Can Spread Hate Speech
   According to the Center for Countering Digital Hate, hate speech and disinformation have increased tremendously on X since Elon Musk took over the platform.
   Children can be exposed to hate speech and disinformation, which may impact their self-esteem and lead to depression and self-harm, according to UNICEF.

How to Set Up X Privacy and Safety Settings

You can set up X privacy and safety settings to work like Twitter parental controls by hiding sensitive content, setting X account to private, turning off direct messages, turning on Safe Search, disabling photo tagging etc.

Hide X Sensitive Content

X has sensitive content settings that allow you to hide inappropriate content.

1. Open your child’s Twitter account on a web browser or the Twitter app.
2. Go to the three dots and click to open More Settings.
3. Click Privacy and Safety.
   
4. Click Content You See. You will see a box beside Display Media that May Contain Sensitive Content.
   
5. Click on the box to uncheck it. It will turn to white to show that you have deactivated that option.
   

Turn Off Direct Messages

Many social media platforms, including Facebook, require users to send message requests if the person they wish to text is not their friend or follower. However, on X, there’s a setting for receiving messages from anyone. You will have to turn off this option on the Safety settings.

1. Open your child’s Twitter account. Click the More or three dots setting on the left side pane.
2. Choose Settings and Privacy and then click on Privacy and Safety.
   
3. Click Direct Messages. You will see the available options for allowing direct messages.
   
4. Click on either No one if you want everyone to request your child to DM them. You can also choose Verified users if your child is old enough to have independent conversations with other Twitter users.
   

Turn on X Safe Search

X social media platform allows you to control the search results by turning on the Safe Search. This search feature can hide explicit content from your child’s timeline.

1. Open your child’s X account on a browser. Go to the Privacy and Safety Setting.
2. Click Content You See and scroll to Search Settings.
   
3. Tick the box beside Hide Sensitive Content. This search setting will prevent sensitive content from appearing in your child’s search results.
   

Disable Photo Tagging

It can be uncomfortable to learn that anyone can tag your child in the photos they post on X. But you can change your Twitter privacy settings to opt out of the photo tagging option.

1. Open the X app and click the profile icon.
2. Open Settings and Privacy and then tap Privacy and Safety.
3. Go to the Audience, Media and Tagging option.
   
4. Tap photo tagging.
   
5. Slide the toggle beside photo tagging to the left to turn it off. This option will prevent people from tagging your child in photos.
   

Turn Off Video Auto Play

Videos on Twitter play automatically to increase user engagement. However, this means that kids can see potentially harmful content if it loads automatically.

When you turn off video autoplay, it will require several taps to play the video. This way, children have time to think about their actions before engaging with a video on their timeline.

1. Open the X Twitter app. Tap your child’s profile icon > Settings & Support > Settings and Privacy.
2. Scroll down to Accessibility, Display, and Languages.
   
3. Tap Data Usage > Data Saver.
4. Push the slider to the ON position. It will tell you that videos won’t auto-play and only lower-quality images will load.
   

How to make X Account Private

Setting an X account to private is one of the best ways to protect your child on the Twitter social media network. This setting will prevent people from targeting your child’s posts.

1. Open Twitter > Settings & Privacy > Privacy and Safety.
2. Click Audience, Media, and Tagging.
   
3. Tick the box beside Protect Your Posts. It will ask you to verify, since it means that your child’s posts will only be visible to their followers.
   

Mute and Block Twitter Accounts

X has a mute and block feature that can prevent unwanted Twitter accounts from following your child.

1. Open X and go to your child’s following.
2. Find the X account that you want to block or mute.
3. Click on the three-dot icon beside the profile and then choose Mute or Block, depending on what you want to do. Your child will not see posts from muted accounts on their timeline.
   

Can a Kid Bypass Twitter Privacy and Safety Settings?

A child can bypass Twitter privacy and safety settings. There are no security features like PINs or passwords to prevent a child from reversing the settings. It becomes easy to turn off the X settings applied to their account.

How to Use Parental Control App for X

Twitter parental controls are minimal and easy to bypass. That’s why it’s better to use an X parental control tool. The best monitoring apps can show you what a child is doing on the site without them knowing. In addition, you can also block complete access to the app.

Let’s look at what you can do with Eyezy, one of the most popular X monitoring apps based on our research.

Eyezy for X Parental Controls

Eyezy monitoring solution lets you see what a kid posts on their timeline using screenshots. You will see their tweets, retweets, direct messages, and even replies on their X account.

The keylogger feature will help you see their Twitter password, while the keyword tracking feature alerts you when certain phrases are used in searches and text on the child’s device.

The other incredible feature of Eyezy is call and text tracking. With location tracking, you will have peace of mind knowing your child’s whereabouts.

The connection blocker allows you to block websites, Wi-Fi, and applications. Indeed, such a parental control tool puts you in the front seat of your child’s digital activities.

Try EyeZy

X Settings vs Family Tracker: Comparison Table

Let’s compare the features of X settings and family tracker for parental control.

Conclusion

X parental controls may be non-existent, but the privacy and safety feature offers options to make Twitter safer for kids. You can hide sensitive content, disable photo tagging, and make your child’s Twitter account private.

However, if you want to know what your child is doing on X, a monitoring app like EyeZy is the best option to learn your child’s digital habits so you can guide them appropriately.