TikTok, the social media app for video sharing, is popular with kids because it allows them to create short videos combining music and graphics. But some parents have concerns about their children using TikTok because it can be an unsafe environment where the young ones can see and discover everything.
TikTok didn't have a mechanism to identify its users based on age for some time. As a result, even minors had access to obscene, harmful, and dangerous content. However, following widespread complaints from parents and the community, the social media company introduced several safety measures that could filter some content for its younger users, including improved parental controls.
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TikTok for Younger Users
A TikTok user's age limit may be adjusted in the user's profile under the date of birth. Thus, if a child using TikTok is below 13 years old, she will automatically be accessing the servers of TikTok for Younger Users, which the company introduced in 2019.
TikTokers between the ages of 13 to 15, on the other hand, will have their accounts automatically set to Private, which means they will be able to interact with just the friends on their accounts. Their videos may also not be used for collaborative activities that are very popular with billions of the platform's users.
Sixteen-year-old TikTok users have most of the access to the app's features, except for sending and receiving virtual gifts. This feature will be available to them when they are 18 years old and can pay for their own purchases.
However, the problem with these age limits is that the kids may lie about their actual age during verification checks, so here's when the parental controls could be handy.
Activate TikTok Family Pairing
The TikTok Parental Controls are activated with the Family Pairing feature, similar to the Google Family Link, that allows parents to override their children's accounts. However, this feature is only applicable to the phone app and not on the computer.
On TikTok, parents can tap on the Profile icon on the lower right side and then tap on the menu bars. Then look under the section "Settings & Privacy" to find the "Content & Activity" section where the Family Pairing feature is listed.
Tap on that area and select the particular accounts to pair up, per We Live Security. The app will require scanning QR codes between two devices to link the accounts. The steps are pretty straightforward.
Once the accounts are linked, the parents may now see a Parental Controls dashboard on their account. To add more pairing, use the + button and do the process all over again.
Features of Parental Controls
The TikTok Parental Controls include features like Screen Time Management, Restricted Mode, Search, and Privacy & Safety. The first feature requires the kids to get a code from their parents if they want to keep using TikTok. Restricted Mode and Search essentially lets parents block content or disallow the children to look for content, so they won't have to stumble on videos not fit for their age.
The Privacy & Safety feature allows parents to set more security measures for their children's TikTok accounts, such as who can send messages or who can see or like the videos. If the Family Pairing is activated, the child won't have any way of altering the settings.
It bears noting that TikTok has a privacy policy stating that it gives advertisers reports about its ad activities and performance, according to Connect Safely. If this makes parents uncomfortable, they may turn off the personalized ads on their children's TikTok accounts on the Privacy & Safety feature.
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