As the father of two energetic boys, aged 7 and 9, one of the concerns my wife and I share is the role of social media in their lives. We know it’s inevitable, though at what age is it appropriate?

The global pandemic has closed schools, playgrounds and banned play dates which makes it more difficult than normal to fill their days. Most parents would agree their children need to play and interact with their friends, and that social connections are incredibly valuable in their formative years.

According to The Drum, “‘Download Houseparty!’ is the ‘add me on Insta?’ of March 2020 – the social call to action”. Though it’s hitting a younger (primary school) aged group than normal.

Wearing my professional hat, I see the capitalist opportunity this presents. Epic Games are a powerhouse when it comes to youthful gameplay and their introduction of micro-games alongside chat presents brands and advertisers unique opportunities.

Despite this explosion in growth (from #304 to #3 in the iOS App Store) "The company’s execs are currently in quiet mode, declining to comment while the pandemic goes on". I think they know they’re onto something big as they’ve effectively hooked an entirely new age demographic at once, on what is effectively social media.

For me, this is the bigger story. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) issued a stark warning over the new video chat app; "It's more important than ever that mums, dads and carers are aware of what their youngsters are doing online, saying the app also poses risks of violence, hatred, suicide and self-harm."

The introduction of Apps like this to young children's lives, probably prematurely, is something all parents should be mindful of. In a world that is fundamentally distracted, it’s easy for this paradigm shift to be overlooked. It’s worth remembering that unlike the virus called Covid-19, which will pass, the early introduction of uncontrolled social media could lead to longer term mental health challenges. Use it wisely.