When younger teens start using TikTok, we intentionally restrict access to some features, such as LIVE and Direct Messaging. We also automatically set accounts of users ages 13-15 to private by default and do not recommend content created by accounts under age 16 in the For You feed.
Jean Twenge, our nation's leading researcher on how social media impacts child and adolescent development, recommends that no child under 13 should be on any social media, including TikTok. And I would add that many 13-year-olds aren't ready. TikTok offers a curated version of their app for under-13s. Don't use it.
How safe is TikTok? Using any social network can be risky, but it's possible for kids to safely use the app with adult supervision (and a private account). TikTok has different rules for different ages: Users under age 13 can't post videos or comment, and content is curated for a younger audience.
According to the TikTok's own privacy policy, the app collects the names of users, passwords, phone numbers, private messages on the app, the mobile networks used by its users, their contacts, satellite location information, and payment details such as credit card information.
Some of the songs featured on the TikTok app may have explicit language and sexual content that may not suitable for your child. It is best to review the app together with your child beforehand. Enable Digital Wellbeing. You can also enable the Restricted Mode.
Make sure your child signs up to TikTok with the correct age
All accounts created by 13-16-year-olds are set to private by default. They also have restricted access to direct messages and livestreaming. However, you should still review the settings to ensure they've been set up correctly.
Parents can learn to trust that their kids are using TikTok under the conditions they've agreed upon, and kids can learn responsibility when it comes to social media privileges. Using TikTok can also create teachable moments and foster conversations about important topics that may not come up organically otherwise.
T ikTok has introduced safety features that allow parents to control the content their children see on the platform. By linking their child's account on the video-sharing social media app to their own, parents can see what their children are being exposed to.
Zigazoo, the startup known for its TikTok-style video-sharing app for kids, is launching a separate app targeted at Gen Z users.
For people in our under 13 experience, the daily screen time limit will also be set to 60 minutes, and a parent or guardian will need to set or enter an existing passcode to enable 30 minutes of additional watch time.
Suggestive Content Abounds
With TikTok being mostly based on music and video, profanity and suggestive clothing/dancing are the most obvious sources of adult content. But the app also encourages some themes that are much more mature than their 16+ rating would suggest.
1 ENABLE device-level parental controls
TikTok states that the app is intended for users aged 13 years and over and has a 12+ App Store rating.
You have to enter your birth date to set up an account, but there's no age verification, so it's easy for kids under 13 to sign up. Common Sense Media rates Snapchat OK for teens 16 and up, mainly because of the exposure to age-inappropriate content and the marketing ploys, such as quizzes, that collect data.
Like other social media apps, TikTok has added certain restrictions in place over the years to prevent younger users from seeing more explicit content. A user has be 13 years old to use the platform, some content will remain restricted until you turn 18.
Age restrictions
TikTok requires its users to be at least 13 years old. Despite users having to be aged 13 and up the age ratings for TikTok are, a little confusingly, 12+ on Apple's App Store and "Parental Guidance Recommended" on the Google Play Store.
Yes, TikTok can access your camera, but only if you give the app permission.
“We are a global company,” Mr Hunter said. “For Australians, the user data is held in the US and Singapore with strong cyber security to make sure the data is safe. “There are lot of misperceptions around what happens on TikTok, but Australians are safe on TikTok.”
TikTok knows the device you are using, your location, IP address, search history, the content of your messages, what you're viewing and for how long. It also collects device identifiers to track your interactions with advertisers.