Main features

Platforms like Instagram, Twitter and TIkTok offer a way to connect with, and view content, from people across the world. Increasingly these are for brands or individual ‘influencers’. They usually share short videos (sometimes live), photos and short pieces of text (posts).

These platforms also offer direct messaging and the ability to ‘tag’ other people in the posts or content – usually with @username.

It might be useful to think of these services in the context of their main media:

• Instagram – photos
• Twitter – short texts (posts)
• TikTok – short videos

Risk and potential harms

Ofcom data suggests that the most common potential harms on these types of platforms are:

• viewing inappropriate content
• disinformation and misinformation
• unwanted contact from other users

The presence of brands and ‘influencers’ adds the potential risk of scams and influenced or pressurised spending.

Because they offer direct messaging and the ability to ‘tag’ other people in the posts or content there is also a risk of abusive or bullying messages.

How to set up an account

Almost any app will require the same details to create an account and access its content:

• username (usually an email or the phone’s linked Google or Apple account)
• password

There may be requests for additional information, such as name, address or phone number – these are not always required.

These links explain how to register for and set up an account on the most popular platforms:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Twitter

Using platform settings to manage risk

Each platform will have a setting for security and privacy – this can be used to control a number of aspects, including:

• what posts or media you see in your feed
• who can contact or follow you

These links explain how to use settings to reduce the potential risks of unwanted contact, being tagged in abusive or bullying content, or seeing inappropriate or unwanted content on the most popular platforms:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Twitter