However, exposure to age-inappropriate material can still occur, and parental supervision is recommended. (The app is currently working to be able to monitor TikTok on iOS.) While every family may have different rules when it comes to technology, it's important for parents to be clear about those expectations with children. Given the social app's rise in popularity and recent media attention surrounding potential privacy concerns many parents are probably wondering if TikTok is safe for their child. RELATED: Types of Bullying Parents Should Know About. This way, they can have fun creating, socializing, and connecting. You can also search for content using topics or hashtags. According to TikToks terms and conditions, all users must be at least 13 years of age to access the full application. Is TikTok safe for 11 year olds? Is TikTok Safe for Kids? Here's What Parents Should Know If your 12-year-old tween wants TikTok, there are several things you can do to let them enjoy the fun side of TikTok while keeping them safe. Childline offers free, confidential advice and support whatever your worry, whenever you need help. Block someone's account so they can't see your profile, send you messages and more. TikTok can be a dangerous place, especially for children. How Do I Protect My Young Child from Cyberbullying? Whether you just check in on their account from time to time, pair your profiles for constant supervision, or require them to use the alternate version of the application depends on your concerns and house rules. According to 2022 findings from Security.org, of all the social networks, kids on YouTube are the most likely to be cyberbullied at 79 percent, followed by Snapchat at 69 percent, TikTok comes in at 64 percent, and Facebook at 49 percent. A recent report by Ofcom highlighted that over half of 3-17-year-olds are using TikTok. These options range from using a limited version of the app to just keeping an eye on the content their children are consuming. RELATED: The Parents Guide to Getting Their First Phoneand Teaching Them to Be Good Digital Citizens, Jordan encourages parents to have open, honest, and ongoing conversations about what's happening in this digital space, noting, "If your child uses the app and you have not yet sat down with them to look at it together, that would be a great first step.". No, TikTok isnt safe for young users, but no social media platform is. Parents and caregivers can also use Restricted Mode to reduce mature content, or Family Safety Mode to pair their account with their kid's account to control settings completely. TikTok shares many of the same dangers as the wider Internet. You will also notice if a dangerous challenge is trending, like the #tidepodchallenge that was devastatingly fatal for some teens. Sitemap / What is TikTok? And is it safe? A guide for clueless parents - NBC News While in the TikTok app and from your child's profile, you'll see three dots in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, Jordan notes. However, the Under 13 function of TikTok is safe for children who dont meet the age requirements. A video tells others what they look like, their age, sometimes where they live and other personal information. And it requires that all users under age 18 obtain parental. Users can also earn TikTok Reward points by inviting friends to download the app, and then they can redeem those points for coupons from brands like Sephora and Uber. However, you should still review the settings to ensure theyve been set up correctly. Talk to your kids about your TikTok safety concerns, How to Set Up a Safe TikTok Account for Kids, White House Unveils National Cybersecurity Strategy, How to Watch UFC 285: Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane Live Worldwide, Watch Liverpool vs. Man United for Free: Premier League 2023, Dark Web: BidenCash Operators Leak Over 2 Million Bank Cards, How to Watch the 2023 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix for Free Online, Profile photo, profile video, and information disclosed on the users profile, IP address, user agent, mobile carrier, time zone settings, identifiers for advertising purposes, model of your device, the device system, network type, device IDs, screen resolution and operating system, app and file names and types, keystroke patterns or rhythms, battery state, audio settings, and connected audio devices, Device ID, IP address, web browser type, and version, Location information based on SIM card and/or IP address, precise location data (such as GPS)*, Preferences, list of followers, and list of following, Video watches, time in the app, and general usage data, Photographs, audios, and videos the user uploads or creates, comments and livestreams made by the user, clipboard data*, Phone contact list, Facebook contact list, Purchases made, date and time when purchases were made, amount spent, Payment card numbers or third-party payment information (such as PayPal), Click on the three dots at the top right corner and find the flag icon that says . TikTok has a "safe" mode called Younger Users that provides a heavily-restricted version of the app to users younger than age 13. Not to mention anonymous users sending inappropriate messages. To do this, go toProfile>three-dash menu>Settings and privacy>Privacy and then: The Duet and Stitch features are fun, but they can also get out of control. Take, for example, the Cinnamon Challenge, the Choking Game, and the Kiki Challenge. Parents can manage screen time, restrict content, and limit direct messages or turn off the feature completely. I'm thrilled you're here and hope you find everything you're looking for! Anyone with an account can upload a video to the platform. behavior, communication, safety, self-esteem, social media, social skills. Kidzworld: This is a moderated, child-friendly application that allows children to participate in forums and chat with others their age. Allison has an impressive research background and a drive to stay on top of the latest trends in cybersecurity to help others combat cybercrime and stay safe online. Where there is social media, theres inappropriate content. TikTok on its own is not safe or recommended for those under 13. They also have restricted access to direct messages and livestreaming. This can make it easy for predators to use flattery and compliments as a way into kids' lives, making them feel special while putting them at ease.". Children under 13 can only view videos deemed child safe and clean by TikToks team. As of August 12, 2021, the app rolled out the following new safety features for teens: In February 2020, TikTok announced new parental control settings released in the United Kingdom (and coming to more countries soon). The platform uses algorithms to show users different video content based on their interests and other videos they watch. They may use these features to build trust with your child, which could lead to physical danger. The solution is hands-on parenting. If you are an Android or Amazon device family, you can also use Bark to monitor TikTok text chats. With the Stitch feature, your video and someone else's video are integrated into each other -- you can edit a portion of their video into yours. Age-inappropriate content one might see on TikTok include harsh language or curse words in song lyrics, suggestive dancing or clothing choices, or offensive or hurtful comments on videos. They can be songs, activities, or dances that start trending and then get copied by users on the platform. For the most secure experience, we recommend turning these features off. Is Omegle Safe for Kids? 7 Safety Concerns for Parents The most popular social media apps are always changing, and it can be a challenge for parents to keep up. Here are some tips to set up your own account: Now, youve got your TikTok account. Heres how to access TikToks privacy settings: Keep reading to learn more about the privacy options you can set, as well as additional features that provide more layers of protection for your teen. Check out our social media rules for high schoolers. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Though you should work with your child as much as possible to stay safe online, you can also choose to limit their access when worried about their safety. "Keep in mind that your child may open the app and change these settings at any time, which is why it's important for you to also view the 'Digital Wellbeing' section of the 'Privacy and settings' screen," Jordan says. Look out for things like graphic content and sexually explicit comments. With 3 billion downloads to date, TikTok is currently the hottest social media site for tweens and teens. While full use of TikTok is technically limited to ages 13 and up, children can easily get around that by putting in a false birthdate. Using the Friends setting or turning those features off completely limits contact with strangers. Spotlight: This is another TikTok-like feature that collects snaps submitted by users into one giant feed. You can also learn more about the safety of other popular social media apps: Do you have more questions about TikTok? Or you can use your phone contacts or social media followers to find friends already on the app. Ask your child to give you a demo of the app or show you their favourite account. "And many chase after that popularity by taking part in challenges, which can often be dangerous. In the meantime, however, you can begin educating them about internet safety and online privacy. You could even suggest creating a video together, like filming yourself taking part in a dance challenge. Still, the app collects a significant amount of information regardless. Trolling is popular on TikTok, tooespecially through the 'Reactions' feature.". Given the violation, thousands of parents complained, and TikTok launched increased efforts to improve privacy and security on the platform, according to Jordan. It's true that users must be over 18 without parental permission, but reality is that children don't always follow these rules. However, don't just set the controls and never check in with your child again. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. TikTok is also a great way to connect with friends and other people with similar interests, making it easy to share videos back and forth. You can enable time limits and the content filter on your kid's phone and protect the settings with a passcode. "This is the largest civil penalty in a children's privacy case in history," Jordan says. If you want to stop a certain account from being able to see your profile, you can block them -- whether they're harassing or stalking you, or for any reason you like. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If they know youre keeping an eye on their activity, teens will think twice about what they post. While most content on TikTok is out there for the world to see, direct messages aren't so clear and visible. As your child uses the app, you should stay up-to-date on their activity with it by showing a genuine interest in their TikTok videos. These things might be harder for them to share with you directly because theyre embarrassed or scared. Is TikTok safe for 9 year olds? - Weyk Global Or an anxious 10-year-old who wants to send videos to his friends? The answer is: probably not. Users might become victims of cyberbullying. Is TikTok Safe for Kids? 10 Things You Must Know - Hacked.com Is Tiktok Safe for 10-Year-Olds? However, it can be easy for children and young people to come across inappropriate content on the app. Fellowship and Subspecialty Training Programs, Child Life and Music Therapy Training Opportunities, Pediatric Clinical Trials & Experimental Medication, Resources for Transgender Youth and Their Families. All accounts created by 13-16-year-olds are set to private by default. All of the videos on tiktok are safe for year olds. The question Is TikTok safe for kids? keeps parents up at night. The good news is caring about internet safety comes with age and experience. The more likes, followers, or comments a video gets, the more validation your teen feels they are receiving. While this doesnt eliminate security risks or mental health safety, its a great place to start. They won't be able to publish the video without selecting who will be allowed to see it. From recipes to song covers, dance challenges, comedy skits, and even pool-cleaning videos whatever your interest is, theres a TikTok video for you. They also illegally stored minors' data. For any age child, talk to them about setting their privacy controls as strongly as possible. TikTok account is set to the public by default, allowing everyone to sneak peek at what your child is posting. If your child sets up a false account, then their data and information can be used in accordance with TikToks terms and conditions. Online safety activities to do with your child. Parents can pair their childs account to their own through TikToks Family Pairing mode. Keep in mind that kids can always re-download TikTok and create a new account using a different phone number or email address, so any controls you enable aren't foolproof. They also failed to notify parents of exactly how they collected children's data or allow them to ask to have that data deleted.". And bypassing that section only requires entering a false birth date, so it's not perfect. Finally, Family Pairing gives parents morecontrol over the settings for screen time, restricted mode, direct messaging, and whether or not the account is private. Kids use TikTok as a way to connect with their friends and have some creative self-expression. This ensures that children cant change the parental controls settings once they are set. TikTok was the most downloaded social media app in the world in 2020. What Are Some Basic Social Media Rules for High Schoolers? TikTok has a poor history of data security. "Some are even publicly encouraged to attempt suicide.". Children are more protected through TikToks Under 13 version and parental account features. Users can block and report accounts or comments, but critics say TikTok is often slow in addressing reports. While full use of TikTok is technically limited to ages 13 and up, children can easily get around that by putting in a false birthdate. This means that not everyones For You Page is the same. Is TikTok Safe for 8-Year-Olds? Know the Risks & Dangers Other tools that offer parental controls and monitoring services include Secure Teen and Norton Family Premier. Terms of use / Leading children's charity, incorporated by Royal Charter. . While it may seem like TikTok came out of nowhere, the app actually began in 2014 as a lip-synching site called Musical.ly. Only users over the age of 16 can record live videos or use the private messaging feature. Is TikTok inappropriate for kids under 10 years old? Is TikTok Safe for Kids? - Parents They also have restricted access to direct messages and livestreaming. Because TikTok uses algorithms to show users new content, its easy for young people to come across inappropriate or upsetting videos. Parents' Ultimate Guide to Discord | Common Sense Media Parents' Ultimate Guide to Snapchat | Common Sense Media TikTok offers Restricted Mode, which was designed to filter mature content for young users. Enable These Privacy Settings Right Now TikTok can be a dangerous place, especially for children. TikTok is a video-sharing platform where you can watch and create videos, and livestream. TikTok is required to comply with the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which limits what data companies can collect about kids under 13. What if my kid wants to get famous on TikTok? Offer to hold the camera or turn it around to do a selfie duet. The platform also has communication features that allow users to privately message each other which could put your child at risk of being contacted by someone they dont know. But TikTok's emphasis on popular music means many videos include swearing and sexual lyrics, so it may not be age-appropriate for kids to use on their own. So no, my daughter isn't allowed to have TikTok. also familiarize yourself with TikToks security settings to make sure those settings are as optimized as possible. Is TikTok Safe for Kids? Extensively tested by our experts. TikTok users under the age of 13 count as Younger Users.. A Comprehensive Guide for Parents. The recommended age for TikTok by Common Sense Media, is 16+ but TikTok requires users to be at least 13+ and anyone under the age of 18 must have the approval of a parent or guardian.