iPad Kids’ Make Up Unexpected Majority on X, Study Reveals

A surprising number of “iPad kids”—Generation Alpha’s 7- to 9-year-olds—are using X (formerly Twitter), according to new data from parental control software maker Qustodio in a report released on Monday focusing on children’s app usage in the US

The report reveals that over 30% of these children have an X account, and 44% already own a tablet, which they use to access various apps and games.

While X is generally known for its focus on politics, breaking news, and a significant amount of misinformation under Elon Musk’s leadership, it doesn’t seem to offer much content that would naturally appeal to younger users.

Musk’s political views, including his support for Trump, are also prominently featured. However, Qustodio speculates that X might attract this younger audience due to its integration with Google Search, where X posts appear directly in search results.

Qustodio suggests that many children likely discovered X by Googling topics of interest and encountering X posts in the search results, which led them to discussions related to their queries.

Meanwhile, parents often perceive X as a platform for older users, so they might not think to block or restrict it as they would with other social media apps like TikTok or Snapchat. Unfortunately, this oversight could expose children to inappropriate content.

The report highlighted that X could expose young users to hate speech, pornography, and misinformation, noting that 13% of all X posts contain adult content.

Qustodio’s data is particularly compelling because it’s derived from analyzing real-world app usage among children rather than surveys.

Since Qustodio operates a parental control software service, it has a comprehensive view of which apps and games kids frequently use, which apps parents are most likely to block, and the platforms popular with different age groups.

In this latest report, based on anonymous usage data from approximately 180,000 families with children, the company discovered that social media use begins very young. In addition to the

31% of 7- to 9-year-olds have accessed X, 28% use Reddit, and 26% are on Facebook.

Yasmin London, a global online safety expert at Qoria, the parent company of Qustodio, highlighted the concern that children as young as 7 to 9 years old are accessing platforms like X and Reddit because parents may either lack awareness about these apps or do not consider blocking them due to their lower popularity.

Despite their lower profile, both platforms can expose children to explicit content such as hate speech, pornography, and misinformation.

The report also revealed that 42% of US children have their smartphone by age 10. At this age, 40% of kids start using TikTok, spending an average of 121 minutes daily on the app, which translates to approximately 240 videos, assuming each video is about 30 seconds long.

For children aged 10 to 12, Roblox and YouTube are the most popular apps, used by 62% and 59% of kids, respectively. However, X usage in this age group rises to 41%, Reddit to 39%, and Facebook to 36%.

As children transition into their teenage years, Roblox usage declines, dropping to 52% among 13- to 15-year-olds.

During this period, Spotify (66%), YouTube (62%), and Amazon Shopping (56%) emerge as the most popular apps. TikTok is utilized by 47% of this age group, with an average daily usage of 127 minutes.

Snapchat also sees increased adoption, with 38% of teens using the app for an average of 94 minutes daily. Social media platforms like X and Reddit are favored by 44% of teens, while Facebook is used by 42% of this demographic.

For older Gen Z members aged 16 to 18, the leading apps are Spotify (69%), YouTube (60%), and Amazon (52%). Additionally, 42% use TikTok, spending an average of 108 minutes daily, while Instagram receives 72 daily use.

Communication apps like Discord and Snapchat are also popular, with 40% and 39% of this group using them. X and Reddit are utilized by 40% of these teens, and Facebook has a slight edge at 43%, surpassing TikTok.

Given that this data is from a parental control software provider, actual usage might be higher in the general population, where parents may not use app blocking or screen time controls.

The increased usage of platforms like X, Reddit, and Facebook might suggest that parents are less likely to block these apps than others, as noted by Qustodio.

We contacted X for a statement, but the company no longer has a communications team under Musk’s leadership.