TikTok is an app that has exploded in popularity over the past few years. It is a social media platform that allows users to create and share videos, stories, and photos.
While the app can be fun, it also comes with risks that parents need to be aware of. From accessing inappropriate content to being cyberbullied, several dangers come with using TikTok.
That’s why it’s so crucial for parents to set up parental controls on the app. By doing so, you can help keep your children safe while they use TikTok.
Read on to learn more about what TikTok is, why it is so popular, and the risks associated with its use.
Plus, we’ll look at the latest features and safety efforts, and how to set up parental controls on TikTok to keep kids safe.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to create and share videos, stories, and photos. The app was initially released in 2016 under the name Musical.ly, but was rebranded as TikTok in 2018.
Since then, it has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with an estimated 1 billion+ monthly active users.
One of the reasons for TikTok’s success is its simple interface and user-friendly features. Anyone can create a TikTok account and start posting content within minutes.
The app also makes it easy to discover new content, thanks to its personalized recommendations and For You page, often referred to as “FYP”.
In addition, TikTok has built a strong community of creators and influencers who regularly interact with their followers. This community feel helps to foster a sense of belonging among users, which is one of the key factors that keeps people coming back to the app.
Naturally, there are many who are concerned with TikTok’s popularity and large user base, with parent advocate groups and even world governments taking action against the app.
Is TikTok Safe? Concerns with TikTok for Younger Users
As TikTok has enjoyed skyrocketing success, the app has become hugely popular, especially among children and teenagers. But many are concerned about the risks associated with the app.
Cyberbullying
TikTok has been criticized for its lack of adequate controls against cyberbullying. The app’s design makes it easy for users to post anonymous comments, which can lead to mean and hurtful remarks being made.
Most concerningly, there have been a number of reports of young people taking their own lives after being bullied on TikTok. In some cases, the victims had posted content that showed them self-harming or talking about suicide. This has caused a rise in anxiety and depression among TikTok users, especially young people.
Access to Inappropriate Content
Another primary concern with TikTok is the access it provides to inappropriate content. The app’s algorithm makes it easy for users to stumble upon content that is sexually suggestive or violent in nature.
The freedom of content publication on TikTok’s platform has also led to a number of videos containing racist and other offensive language being widely circulated. This can expose impressionable young users to hateful content that they would not be exposed to otherwise.
Data Privacy Concerns
TikTok has also come under fire for its handling of user data. The app collects a large amount of personal information from its users, including their phone number, email address, and GPS location.
This data is then sold to advertisers, who use it to target users with personalized ads. In addition, TikTok has been known to share user data with the Chinese government, which many countries fear could lead to censorship and other human rights violations.
Digital Addiction
Another risk associated with TikTok is digital addiction. The app is designed to be highly addictive, thanks to its personalized recommendations and For You page.
This can lead users to spend hours on the app, which can interfere with their everyday lives. In extreme cases, TikTok addiction has been linked to anxiety, depression, and even suicide.
Mental Health Risks
TikTok has also been linked to mental health risks, such as anxiety and depression. The app can cause users to compare themselves unfavorably to the perfection they see onscreen, which can lead to negative body image and low self-esteem.
In addition, the app’s algorithm can fuel anxiety and depression by exposing users to a never-ending stream of content that can be overwhelming.
Despite these risks, TikTok is still a hugely popular social media platform. Given its popularity, parents need to be aware of the risks associated with the app and take steps to protect their children.
Is There a TikTok Age Limit?
Many parents wonder if there is a TikTok age limit. According to the app’s terms of service, TikTok is intended for users ages 13 and up.
The platform has implemented comprehensive age-appropriate experiences with over 50 different features and settings designed specifically for teen accounts to ensure safer experiences.
For users under 13
TikTok offers TikTok for Younger Users, a limited experience that prevents children from posting content, commenting, or messaging. These accounts have additional privacy and safety protections, and TikTok does not collect or share personal data from these users.
For users aged 13-15
These accounts come with enhanced privacy settings by default. Their accounts are automatically set to private, meaning only approved followers can view their content. Direct messaging is restricted, and others cannot download their content. They also cannot use features like LIVE streaming.
For users aged 16-17
While these users have more features available, they still have built-in protections. Their accounts have restricted direct messaging from people they don’t follow, and they cannot receive virtual gifts. Push notifications are turned off by default after 9 PM to encourage healthy sleep habits.
All teen accounts (13-17) benefit from:
- Restricted Mode is enabled by default to limit potentially inappropriate content
- Keywords and hashtags restrictions to filter out mature content
- Time management tools, including daily screen time limits
- Family Pairing compatibility for parental oversight
However, this process is not foolproof. As it is based on the user’s manual input of their birthday, they could easily lie about their age and gain access to content that is not appropriate for them.
This is why parents need to take an active role in monitoring their children’s social media use, regardless of the platform.
Is There a TikTok Age Verification Process?
TikTok requires users to enter their birthdate when creating an account, which determines the features and content available to them. The platform uses this information to automatically apply age-appropriate settings and restrictions.
While the platform has implemented various detection methods to identify users who may have provided false age information, there is no requirement to upload government identification or use third-party verification services for standard account creation.
TikTok has introduced several measures to identify and remove underage users:
- Machine learning technology that helps detect and remove accounts suspected to belong to users under 13
- Regular safety reviews of accounts that may have falsified age information
- A reporting feature that allows users to flag accounts they believe belong to someone under 13
- Proactive removal of accounts when age discrepancies are detected
While TikTok has made it more challenging to change age information after account creation, determined users may still find ways to circumvent these restrictions by creating new accounts with false information.
The platform continues to explore more complex age verification methods. Currently, it does not require documentation like government IDs or use biometric age estimation, citing privacy concerns and the need to balance security with user accessibility.
Some apps have begun to implement an age verification process that requires uploading government-issued identification or using a third-party verification service. TikTok has not implemented such a process for general users, though they continue to work on these features.
How to Set Up Parental Controls on TikTok
There are a few different ways that parents can set up parental controls on TikTok. Let’s take a look at each and walk through the process step-by-step.
Sign Up With Your Child
One of the best ways to prevent inappropriate content from appearing in your child’s feed is to sign up for an account with them. This will allow you to control their account settings and hand-pick which influencers they follow.
To sign up with your child, follow these steps:
- Download the TikTok app on your child’s phone or tablet.
- Create an account using your child’s name, email address, and date of birth.
- Choose a profile picture and fill out any other optional information, such as their bio or website.
- Once you’re finished, click “Done.”
- Now you can start following influencers and adding videos to your child’s feed.
This process allows you to educate your child on the types of content that are appropriate for them to watch. It also helps ensure that the only content they see in their feed is that which you approve of.
Enable Restricted Mode on TikTok
While teen accounts have built-in restrictions, parents can add extra filtering through Restricted Mode.
To enable restricted mode on TikTok, follow these steps:
- Open the TikTok app on your child’s phone or tablet.
- Navigate to “Profile” and select the “Settings” option in the three-dot menu.
- Under “Content & Activity” (previously called “Digital Wellbeing”), select “Restricted Mode”
- Toggle on Restricted Mode and set a passcode to prevent your child from turning it off
If you want to ensure that your child can’t turn the restricted mode off, you will want to set up “Family Pairing.”
How to Set Up TikTok Family Pairing
If you’re a parent who wants to keep tabs on your teen’s TikTok activity, you can do so by enabling Family Pairing. This feature allows you to monitor your child’s account, control privacy settings, and block certain accounts or hashtags.
To turn on Family Pairing, follow these steps:
- Open your or another parent’s TikTok account.
- Navigate to the “Profile” icon (the person icon in the bottom right corner)
- Select the three dots in the upper right corner to go to Settings.
- Select “Family Pairing”
- Select Parent under “Who is Using this TikTok account?” A QR code will appear. Keep this QR code open.
- Go to your child’s TikTok account on another device.
- Follow the same steps to access the Family Pairing setting and select “Teen”
- Scan the QR code on your device to link your accounts.
- Once paired, select your child’s connected account and adjust their settings to your liking.
What are TikTok’s Latest Family Pairing Features?
Family Pairing has been significantly upgraded as of December 2024 with new features that provide better visibility and support for parent-teen conversations about online safety.
- Automatic Post Notifications: Parents now automatically receive notifications when their teen uploads a video, story, or photo – helping them stay informed about their teen’s posting activity without needing to constantly check the app.
- Enhanced Privacy Settings Visibility: Parents can now see detailed information about their teen’s privacy choices, and if their teen has enabled content downloads and following visibility.
- Manage Topics Insight: Parents can view which topics their teen has selected in the Manage Topics feature. This shows what content categories their teen is choosing to see more or less of in their For You feed.
- Screen Time and Well-being Tools: Parents can remotely manage all screen time settings, view usage statistics, and monitor Well-being Mission participation. Through Family Pairing, all these settings can be managed remotely from your own device.
With Family Pairing, you can ensure that your teen is using TikTok safely and responsibly. The updated features strike a balance between keeping parents informed and allowing teens to maintain some independence in their creative expression.
Well-being Features and Digital Balance
To help provide more transparency and education for users, TikTok has recently introduced new “well-being features” – tools designed to help teens and families develop healthy digital habits.
These tools go beyond simple time restrictions to encourage positive, mindful engagement with the platform.
What are TikTok Well-being Missions?
Launched in December 2024, TikTok Well-being Missions are interactive challenges that help users build balanced digital habits through positive reinforcement rather than just restrictions.
These short, engaging missions are designed based on research from experts, including the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital. Missions take a variety of shapes, and include things such as:
- Users complete simple tasks that promote mindful app usage
- Earn badges for completing missions, providing a sense of achievement
- Missions focus on building long-term healthy habits rather than just limiting screen time
- Designed to make digital wellness engaging and rewarding for teens
- Parents can view their teen’s mission progress through Family Pairing
TikTok Screen Time Management Tools
TikTok offers several built-in features to help manage screen time and reduce the risks of excessive usage.
- Daily Screen Time Limits: Set limits ranging from 40 minutes to 2 hours per day
- Screen Time Dashboard: View daily and weekly usage patterns to understand app habits
- Break Reminders: Receive prompts to take breaks after extended viewing sessions
- Sleep Hours: Automatically mute push notifications during designated bedtime hours (default is 9 PM for users under 18)
To access these features:
- Go to Profile > Settings > Content & Activity
- Select “Screen Time” to view and adjust settings
These well-being tools represent TikTok’s shift toward supporting positive digital experiences rather than just restricting access, helping teens develop self-awareness about their technology use.
Set Up a TikTok Parental Control App
One of the best ways to set up parental controls on TikTok is to use a parental control app. Parental control apps are designed specifically for parents who want to monitor and limit their child’s screen time and online activity.
There are many different parental control apps available, but we recommend using Kidslox – the easiest way to monitor and set parental controls on all devices that your family uses. By setting up a control app like Kidslox, parents can:
- Monitor their child’s activity on TikTok (and other apps) in real-time
- Limit their child’s screen time on TikTok and other apps
- Block access to the app completely
Third-party blocking and monitoring apps are a great way to ensure that your child is using TikTok safely. They give you the ability to see what your child is doing on the app and limit their screen time if necessary.
What Are TikTok Footnotes?
In 2024, TikTok began rolling out Footnotes, a crowdsourced feature that adds valuable context to videos on the platform. This tool helps both parents and teens better evaluate the content they encounter.
How Do TikTok Footnotes Work?
Community members can add relevant, factual information to videos they view on TikTok. These notes provide additional context that might be missing from the original content.
Other users then rate these notes as helpful or not helpful, creating a community-driven fact-checking system.
The most helpful notes, as determined by community ratings, appear alongside the content for all users to see. The feature is currently available to U.S. users as part of a pilot program, with plans for wider rollout based on its success.
For parents, Footnotes provide valuable educational opportunities to discuss media literacy with their teens.
When a video has footnotes attached, it opens the door for conversations about why context matters, how information can be misleading without proper background, and the importance of fact-checking.
The feature also helps identify potentially misleading or out-of-context content before it can cause confusion or spread misinformation. By empowering the community to collectively maintain platform integrity, TikTok is creating a more informed and responsible user base.
Parent TikTok Use and How To Keep Kids Safe
Not only is TikTok popular with children and teenagers, but adults are a growing demographic on the app as well. In fact, many parents are using TikTok to stay up-to-date with trends, learn new tips and tricks, and be entertained.
However, there are some risks that come along with parents using TikTok.
The biggest risk is that parents could inadvertently expose their children to inappropriate content. Parents need to be aware of the types of content that are popular on TikTok and only watch content that is appropriate for their children.
Another risk is that parents could become addicted to TikTok and spend too much time on the app.
This could lead to neglecting other important responsibilities, such as parenting. Parents need to be aware of how much time they’re spending on TikTok and make sure that they’re not letting the app consume their lives – and teach their children that it is okay to do the same!
Tips for Keeping Your Child Safe Online
Beyond setting up parental controls on TikTok, there are other steps that parents can take to keep their children safe online.
Talk to your kids about online safety.
One of the best ways to ensure that your children develop healthy online habits is to talk to them about online safety.
Discuss with them the types of content that they should and shouldn’t be viewing. Set rules for their online activity, such as how much time they can spend on social media or playing video games.
Keep an eye on their online activity.
In addition to talking to your children about online safety, it’s also important to keep an eye on their activity. This includes monitoring their social media accounts and the websites that they’re visiting.
If you see anything that makes you concerned, reach out to your child and talk to them about it. It’s also a good idea to have a conversation with them about online stranger danger.
Teach them to be good digital citizens.
One of the most important things that parents can do is teach their children to be good digital citizens. This includes teaching them how to treat others with respect online and how to avoid cyberbullying.
It’s also important to teach them about responsible internet use, such as not sharing personal information or downloading pirated content.
Help them develop a healthy relationship with technology.
Another key aspect of keeping children safe online is helping them develop a healthy relationship with technology. This means teaching them how to use technology in moderation and not letting it consume their lives.
It’s also important that they have other hobbies and activities outside of technology. This will help them to maintain a well-rounded and healthy lifestyle.
By following these tips, parents can keep their children safe online and help them develop healthy habits.
Keep Children Safe on TikTok and Beyond with Kidslox
TikTok is a great way to find fun and engaging content and build an online community. But there are serious risks that come with letting children use the app.
That’s why it’s critical that parents set up parental controls on TikTok and take other steps to keep their children safe online.
Kidslox is a powerful parental control app that can help parents keep their children safe online. It allows parents to monitor their child’s activity, block inappropriate content, and set time limits for their child’s device usage.
With Kidslox, parents can have peace of mind knowing that their children are safe online. Plus, one Kidslox account allows parents to control access to all of their family’s devices – ensuring that children are safe on TikTok and beyond.
Want to learn more about staying safe in the digital age? Check out our full library of guides and resources to discover the best ways to protect you and your family’s privacy while staying up to date on the latest changes!
