Is Zepeto Safe for Kids? A Parent’s Guide

To answer this question, I went undercover, creating an account for a fictional 13-year-old on Zepeto. What I found startled me. I was able to easily bypass age verification, encountered wildly inappropriate material, and was exposed to strangers, all within minutes of downloading the app. 

Is Zepeto safe for kids? Absolutely not. Here’s everything you need to know about the risks Zepeto poses to kids and how to keep your child safe. 

What is Zepeto?

Zepeto is a social media app that feels like an anime-flavored mashup of The Sims, Roblox, and TikTok. Rated for kids ages 13 and up, users create 3D avatars and use them to interact with others, explore virtual worlds, play games, create content, and scroll through a  TikTok-style feed. 

How does Zepeto work? 

Instead of snapping a profile pic, Zepeto users select from stock avatars or use their own likeness to create an AI-powered version of themselves. Using this avatar, they can then: 

• Create and post videos and images 
• Like, comment on, and share other users’ posts
• Create and sell custom virtual items to other users
• Play interactive mini-games
• Visit virtual worlds and interact with other users through text and voice chat
• Join private or group chats

Does Zepeto have parental controls? 

No, Zepeto does not have parental controls. They do have quite a few customizable privacy settings, but here’s why they fall short:

1. Kids can change their settings. Even if your child’s privacy settings are locked down, they can change them at any time without you knowing. 
2. No way to require approval for new followers. For my test account, I selected all of the privacy options that seemed like they would make me undiscoverable to strangers, but in less than 24 hours, I had a number of random followers.   
3. Public chats can’t be fully disabled. This means they may appear in public spaces regardless of your child’s privacy controls.
4. Easy-to-bypass age verification. The only “age verification” was entering a date of birth, which means any kid (or adult) can easily lie about their age on the app. I even signed up using a Gmail address set up for a fictional 10-year-old.

The biggest risks to kids on zepeto

Although there are many features in Zepeto that younger users will find fun, there are also plenty of risks. Here’s what parents need to know: 

1. Strangers. Because users can’t require approval for new followers, anyone could follow your child. 
2. Grooming. Exposure to strangers plus unfiltered chats opens the door for predators looking to groom kids. 
3. Platform hopping. Platform hopping is when someone requests to transition a chat to another app in order to evade filters and monitoring, and users report it’s a common practice on Zepeto.
4. Inappropriate content. My fictional 13-year-old was exposed to sexual, transphobic, body shamming, and racist content within the first five minutes on Zepeto. 

@theanxiouslegomom3

🚨 ‼️ PSA TO ALLL PARENTS & GUARDIANS 🚨 ‼️#parents#parentsoftiktok#momtok#moms#fyp

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How can I keep my child safe on Zepeto? 

If your child uses Zepeto, here are some steps you can take to help them stay safe: 

1. Adjust their privacy settings

Within your child’s account, select “No One” for the following settings: 

• Who can message, tag, or follow them
• Who can invite them to group chats, home parties, worlds, Clubs, or Candy Slime
• Who can send them Live invitations or gifts
• Who can see their followers, online status, posts, or tagged posts

2. Talk to them about the risks

Make sure they understand the dangers of talking to strangers online, know the signs of grooming, and are clear that they should never reveal personal information online. 

3. Monitor their use 

BrightCanary monitors everything your child types and sends you alerts if they come across anything concerning. You can also access AI-powered summaries of their online activity, as well as full transcripts. 

Final word: Is Zepeto safe for kids? 

Zepeto is not safe for kids. Inappropriate content, exposure to strangers, and a lack of parental controls are some of the concerns parents need to know. 

If parents choose to let their child use Zepeto, they should take steps to keep them safe, such as adjusting their privacy settings and using a monitoring app. 

BrightCanary helps parents monitor their children’s activity on the apps they use the most, including what they type on Zepeto. Download today to get started for free.

FAQ

What age is Zepeto appropriate for?

Zepeto’s terms of service say users must be 13 or older, but the app has no real age verification — making it easy for younger children to join.

Can strangers talk to kids on Zepeto?

Yes. Anyone can message or follow your child unless you manually change every privacy setting to “No One.”

Does Zepeto have parental controls?

No. Zepeto only offers basic privacy settings, and kids can change them anytime.

Is Zepeto safe for kids?

No. Zepeto exposes children to strangers, explicit content, and grooming risks. Parents should monitor activity and use tools like BrightCanary to stay informed.