TikTok CEO Admits Not Allowing His Children to Use App

The TikTok CEO stated in a rare public interview that his kids do not use TikTok because, unlike in America, TikTok does not allow kids below 13 in other countries to use the app.

In a now-viral TikTok short with 19 million views as of today, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said his eight- and six-year-old kids do not have TikTok accounts because they are too young for it.

The viral clip was taken from an interview with host Andrew Ross Sorkin during The New York Times' DealBook conference last November.

Sorkin asked Chew if he had kids, to which he answered he had two. The host then asked if his kids use TikTok, and he said they do not because they are too young for the application.

Chew was then asked about the age of his kids. Having an idea of where the conversation was going, Chew answered and explained, "TikTok, here in the U.S., if you are below 13, you get a very restrictive version of TikTok, and in many other countries around the world, we don't allow users who are below 13."

TikTok to invest more in 'trust and safety'

The TikTok CEO then encouraged the parents of teenage children to make sure that they are using the application's safety and monitoring feature called "Family Pairing," where parents can get a lot of "tools to manage your teenager's experience."

The viral clip has generated a lot of different opinions from both TikTok users and non-users.

Some pointed out the irony that the TikTok CEO restricts his children from using TikTok because he knows the harm, the "garbage," and the danger in the app.

Some praised him for knowing the right parenting skill and suggested that parents do the same, a reminder that at the end of the day, the safety of their children against harmful content is the parents' responsibility.

Further in the interview, Chew stressed how TikTok sees "platform safety" as "incredibly important." Thus, they acknowledged the need to invest more in "trust and safety," The Verge reported.

He emphasized that they are aware they have a major responsibility to invest more in ways to moderate trends and content unsuitable for young people.

Inspire creativity and create joy

Chew also emphasized that TikTok is the only platform at its scale that does not allow political ads as they do not inspire creativity and create joy, which are the company's two greatest missions.

It can be recalled that in the first quarter of 2022, a nationwide investigation against the application was announced by California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta.

The investigation's main focus is on the risks that TikTok poses to kids and teenagers. It also looked into how the company is trying to increase the duration and frequency of use by children, and if it is aware of any danger it may be causing its users.

According to the Los Angeles Times, TikTok responded positively to the investigation and even appreciated their concern for teen users. They expressed that the company deeply cares about creating experiences for their users that will help "protect and support the well-being of the community." They also ensure that users "enjoy content based on age-appropriateness or family comfort."