You need to be at least 13 to have an Ayyam account, and anyone under 18 needs a parent’s or guardian’s permission. The best protection is talking with your child about what they share and who they talk to. These settings help too.

Settings to set up together

  • Make the account private, so only people your child approves can follow them and see their posts.
  • Choose who can message them: their followers, or no one.
  • Choose who can comment, tag or mention them.
  • Add hidden words, to hide comments on their posts that contain words you pick.
  • Set a daily limit and quiet hours, so Ayyam doesn’t take over homework and sleep.
  • Turn on two-factor authentication, and keep the recovery codes somewhere safe.

The steps for each are in the help center.

Things to talk about

  • Anything posted can be screenshotted and shared, even from a private account.
  • People online aren’t always who they say they are. Never send photos to someone they’ve only met online, and never meet them alone.
  • If someone asks for photos, money or secrets, or makes threats, they should tell you straight away, and they won’t be in trouble for it. Our guide if someone is blackmailing you explains what to do.
  • Report and block anyone who makes them uncomfortable.

If something goes wrong

  • Report the post or account in the app.
  • If your child is under 13 and has an account, ask us to remove it through Contact us.
  • If a child is in danger, call the Child Helpline on 16000, or the police on 122.