10 Tricks: Keep your children safe if using TikTok

Technology is being adopted at a much younger age as it becomes more pervasive. This generation of digital natives in India are now more proficient today than ever before and their parents are struggling to keep up. According to an IAMAI report, young users, aged between 16-29 years are the most frequent internet users.

A good example of an app that has become immensely popular amongst Gen Zs and Millennials is TikTok. With its creative accessibility and easy-to-digest concept, TikTok has captured the attention of millions in India. Recognizing their popularity and appeal with younger audiences, TikTok has made a concerted effort in ensuring that its users are equipped with a set of comprehensive and extensive safety features to keep them safe while at the same time, entertained.

Here are 10 ways you can keep yourself and your teenagers safe while using TikTok.

1. Age Gate – is a feature that only allows users who are 13 years and above to create an account, this feature prevents under-aged children from using the platform. 

2. Screen Time Management – allows users to limit their time spent on the application to 40, 60, 90, 120 minutes. Any further usage beyond the set limit would require users to re-enter their passwords.  

3. Restricted mode – protects minors with a machine-learning Artificial Intelligence that filters out content that may not be age-appropriate. This account setting is optional and exists so that users can take control of the content they watch and receive. Once selected, this mode can only be reverted by entering a password.

4. In-app suicide prevention – redirect users to an in-app suicide resource page that offer tips and hotlines so that users are able to receive help.

5. Comment filter feature – allows the user to self-define up to 30 keywords from the comments in English and the user’s local language. This list can be altered at any given point. 

6. Family Pairing:  the Family Pairing feature, a part of the Digital Wellbeing mode, allows parents to set a limit on their teenager screen-time on TikTok, enables the restricted mode and limits direct messages, so that the parent or guardian can be in control of their teenager's activities on TikTok

7. In-app reporting – with the help of the in-app reporting feature, users can report videos that they believe violate Community Guidelines. This feature gives users an opportunity to voice their concerns and help keep TikTok safe and positive by flagging inappropriate content. During the spread of the global pandemic, TikTok has further enhanced the in-app reporting feature, to allow users to report any kind of deceptive information under the new 'Misleading Information' category.

8. Privacy settings – users are able to: 

o Decide who is allowed to follow them

o Decide who is allowed to send comments

o Decide who is allowed to react to their videos

o Decide who is allowed to take part in a duet 

o Decide who can send them messages

o Avoid undesirable content to be downloaded

o Create and edit a block list

 

9. Device Management: Using this feature, TikTok users will be able to end sessions or remove their accounts from other devices from within the TikTok app to better manage their safety of their account. This feature will help avoid the misuse of user accounts.  

10. Risk warning tag – is added to notify viewers that a video may not be desirable for general consumption.

 

As a responsiblity, TikTok is extremely proactive about online safety and to promoting a positive in-app environment. Safeguarding user safety and well-being is always of utmost importance says TikTok. For more information, visit: https://www.tiktok.com/en/safety.