2025's Most Popular Apps with Teens: And What Parents Need to Know

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TODAY’S TOPIC

2025's Most Popular Apps with Teens: And What Parents Need to Know

As 2025 comes to an end, it is important to reflect on the events of this year. The trends we followed, the accomplishments we achieved, and, from a digital perspective, the apps we engaged with. As teens become increasingly exposed to the digital world, the four most popular apps among teens this year were YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok & Instagram. According to Pew Research, 9 in 10 teens have used YouTube. Use of the app WhatsApp is also on the rise, up 7% from 2022, as is the use of AI Chatbots. Roughly 6 in 10 have used an AI Chatbot.

Understanding the popularity of these apps and their uses is essential for grasping why your teens may want to use them so often, but there are potential dangers parents should be aware of.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Understanding the basis of each of these apps:

Youtube
AKA YT, Teens use YouTube for everything—music, tutorials, vlogs, and livestreams. It’s the go-to platform when they want endless entertainment or to learn something fast.

Snapchat
AKA Snap, thrives on disappearing messages, streaks, and playful AR filters. Teens value it for private, casual communication that feels less permanent. The photo option offers a more personal feel—and some silliness with filters!

Tiktok
TikTok dominates short-form video culture, with trends, dances, memes, and viral challenges spreading in seconds. Teens love it for quick laughs and creative expression.

Instagram
AKA Insta, is the hub for sharing photos, reels, and stories, plus staying connected through DMs. Teens use it to curate their “aesthetic” and keep up with friends.

What to look out for:

Although these apps can add value by helping teens grow and communicate, they also have downsides. Snapchat’s disappearing messages, for example, can encourage kids to say things or post photos they might not otherwise. While there are many educational resources on YouTube, the risk of exposure to inappropriate content, misinformation, and dangerous challenges is real. TikTok and Instagram have similar issues: both are algorithm-based and can expose teens to inappropriate content and reinforce content they engage with. WhatsApp has the potential to introduce teens to new people with unknown intentions.

AI Chatbots present a new host of risks. Not only is there a risk of misinformation, but there have also been tragic occurrences where parents claim that their teens committed suicide after engaging with AI Chatbots such as ChatGPT and Character.AI. Both platforms have taken measures to increase parental controls, linked here and here.

It is vital to stay vigilant about how your teen interacts with their apps/platforms and to review the privacy settings for each one.