Is TikTok safe for 11 year olds? These videos can be grouped by hashtags, which often correspond to challenges, memes, or current events (like #pandemiclife). TikTok requires that users be at least 13 years old to use the basic TikTok features, although there is a way for younger kids to access the app. New safety features were introduced as of August 2021. No, TikTok does not promote a safe environment for kids below 13 as it is home to mature and vulgar content. Here are 11 settings that can help protect from unwanted followers, harmful comments and violent videos on TikTok. Alternatively, you could allow them to keep using the app through the Family Pairing feature (which we talk about below). You can also learn more about the safety of other popular social media apps: Do you have more questions about TikTok? 2. To turn on Restricted Mode, set a 4-digit passcode. To learn more about online safety for your kids, read our definitive guide here. While the safest way to use TikTok is with a private account, the social nature of the app and the rapid success of some of its stars -- including Charli D'Amelio, a dancer whose TikTok fame led to a TV deal -- might have your kids begging to go public. 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. Your child selects what other method they would like to use to verify their account when you log in from either a text, email, or password. So, what is it exactly that kids and teens love about TikTok? If these options are activated, TikTok and its third-party business partners will track internet activity so they can show your teen more relevant ads. Luckily, it's easy to find everyone who has looked at your profile. Social media apps are known for harmful effects on mental health, like increased depression and anxiety, according to researchers. Currently, the app is available in 75 languages with over 1 billion active users (Jan 2021). Is TikTok safe for 9 year olds? - Weyk Global Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? All of the videos on tiktok are safe for year olds. You can enable time limits and the content filter on your kid's phone and protect the settings with a passcode. Up until recently, creating an account meant giving access to your phones clipboard even when you werent using the app. Ensuring a childs safety on the internet can be a tedious undertaking. It's also important to remember that the app is meant for kids who are 13 or older. . Additionally, by using apps, it's important to be aware that you are sharing personal information, and that can come with some risks. According to the TikTok policy, the user must be at least 13 years old to use the app's full features. 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). TikTok is intended for 13+ users according to the app's community guidelines. Guides and resources for parents. However, being active in the digital world means that your child is always accessible to some extent. For starters, TikTok presents an endless stream of video content, and the apps algorithm means youre always one scroll away from a video that will capture your attention. Of course, another important aspect of keeping kids safe is ensuring that the apps security tools are being used correctly by optimizing TikToks security settings. Using the Friends setting or turning those features off completely limits contact with strangers. Inappropriate content can affect your child's brain and thinking ability. Many people and organizationsincluding the U.S. government and companies like Wells Fargoare worried that TikTok's parent company ByteDance (based in China) is using the app to spy on users in other countries. But if you're worried about what exactly your kids are getting, you're not alone. With more than a decade of experience, he covers Apple and Google and writes on iPhone and Android features, privacy and security settings and more. While this doesnt eliminate security risks or mental health safety, its a great place to start. At the end of the day, you are still the parent. No place on the internet is entirely safe for kids, including the TikTok app. TikTok is a video-shared focused social media site launched in 2016 that has been downloaded over two billion times and has over 600 million users, as of this year. Keep reading to learn more about the dangers, social expectations, and consequences of using this platform at a young age. Under Digital Wellbeing, youll also see Restricted Mode. The problem with Younger Users is that its not TikTok for Kids. Its TikTok with Fewer Features. Children may simply lie about their age in order to access all of TikToks fun features. However, the Under 13 function of TikTok is safe for children who dont meet the age requirements. Restricted Mode was designed to prevent kids from seeing mature contentprovided they don't independently try to seek it outand adults can sign up for an account and then link it to their kid's account via the Family Pairing mode. Read Common Sense Media's full review of TikTok, and learn more about this popular platform. Another feature that you and your child should know is how to report and block harmful content, comments, or users. TikTok was the most downloaded social media app in the world in 2020. Age is just one factor. She has covered a variety of topics but is passionate about informing the VPNOverview readers on online safety and privacy, especially for children and teens. Call us on0808 800 5000or contact us online. They also talked about how screenshots and screen recording tech can mean something seemingly impermanent might become a meme that haunts you. Is TikTok Safe for Kids? The last section on this page is Safety. A large part of keeping your kids safe on TikTok is about reducing contact with strangers or harmful content. Look out for things like graphic content and sexually explicit comments. Is There a Kid Version of TikTok? - TechCult The app can be safe for teens with proper parental guidance. TikTok, like many other social media platforms, poses a significant danger to the mental, emotional, and physical health of children. In 2020, the U.S. government opened a national security review of the acquisition of TikTok by a Chinese company, the New York Times reported. No, TikTok isnt safe for young users, but no social media platform is. For any age child, talk to them about setting their privacy controls as strongly as possible. If you have a public account and you're over 16 years old, anyone on TikTok can access your profile and watch your videos. Common Sense recommends the app for age 15+, TikTok doesn't necessarily have a perfect record, Help Kids Navigate Viral Social Media Stunts. However, TikTok knows that younger kids will find ways to sign up anyway, such as by using false birthdates. TikTok can be a dangerous place, especially for children. By default, TikTok collects a lot of data about user activity. Once you send in a Spotlight, it's public and can be viewed by anyone on or off the platform. Restricted Mode. Because TikTok uses algorithms to show users new content, its easy for young people to come across inappropriate or upsetting videos. TikToks Younger Users version is really just an absence of features, not a redesign of the app made for kids. Common Sense rates Instagram for age 15 and up because of mature content, access to strangers, marketing ploys, and data collection. COPPA limits what data social media apps can collect from kids under 13. Kids familiar with these examples might be persuaded to do or share things they wouldn't normally do to get a larger audience. No matter which social media platform your child is usingeven if it's a purportedly trustworthy, limited version aimed at children, like YouTube Kidsthey'll likely come across potential safety issues. Leading children's charity, incorporated by Royal Charter. But some, such as the skull-breaker, are really dangerous. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). Is TikTok Safe for 10-Year-Olds? Understand the Dangers In time, your kids will begin exercising initiative and start protecting themselves online on their own. Many kids and teens who have their videos go viral are subjected toharassment, ridicule andbullying. If it sounds like TikTok is fertile ground for a lot of fun and a good deal of trouble, that's because it is. You could even suggest creating a video together, like filming yourself taking part in a dance challenge. Trolling is popular on TikTok, tooespecially through the 'Reactions' feature.". Less data is collected from TikToks Younger Users compared to users aged 13 and above. Your TikTok account is normally suggested to several groups, including your contacts, Facebook friends, people with mutual connections and people who open or send links to you (including links to content on TikTok that are shared outside of TikTok). We walk you through the process to ensure that youre optimizing TikToks built-in safety settings: Though TikTok may have its issues, keeping an eye on your children and opening communication with them will help you feel better about their usage of the app. Learn more about Amazon Lockers. Powerful Stories About Martin Luther King Jr. How can you make your TikTok account private? This opens the door for dangerous dialogue with strangers. What is TikTok? And is it safe? A guide for clueless parents - NBC News Within TikToks security settings, there are three specific parental controls to help parents create a safer experience for their children. These applications take extensive safety and privacy measures to safely allow kids to explore the online world. Restricted Mode filters out mature content that isnt suitable for younger audiences. Choosing to monitor your child on social media can be a difficult decision, but doing whats best for their safety is the priority. To stop others from viewing your following list or liked videos, go go toProfile>three-dash menu>Settings and privacy>Privacyand then: Just because you follow accounts and like videos doesn't mean the whole world needs to know it. After changing to a private account, only users that you approve can follow your account and watch your videos, but existing followers are allowed to continue following you. They want to be part of something cool, even if it turns out to be dangerous. The good news is caring about internet safety comes with age and experience. Social media also exposes kids to violent, graphic, or misinformed content they might not be ready to see. What Are Some Basic Social Media Rules for High Schoolers? Sometimes platforms also test out different types of content with similar themes to see how we interact, so it knows what to show us in the future. If you have any concerns at all about a childs safety or wellbeing, dont hesitate to contact us. 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. Parents can set a passcode in the childs account to prevent them from disabling the feature. For instance, TikTok collects registration details including name, birth date, username, and password. Chances are they wont. The caveat is that the kid-friendly version isnt commonly utilized. Secondly, if your teen is older or resistant to sharing an account, youll be able tokeep up with TikTok trends and TikTok challenges on your own account. Common Sense Media. The best mobile apps for tweens can provide a rich world of entertainment for growing minds. Users include those with non-gaming interests like anime, TV series, music, and more. Only friends can comment on videos, and other users can't duet (explained below) with your videos. Common Sense Media offers the largest, most trusted library of independent age-based ratings and reviews. Ask your teen who they like to follow, what their friends are doing on the app, and stay in touch with whats going on. This means that theres a whole range of videos that feature different topics, challenges or ideas. They won't be able to publish the video without selecting who will be allowed to see it. Kids on TikTok often want their videos to be liked, and this makes them vulnerable to safety threats on TikTok, like sexual exploitation. For more about TikTok and privacy, learn how the company is protecting young users from inappropriate videos and why some US regulators are worried about TikTok sharing private user data with China. Parents want to keep their kids safe not only at school, in the playground, and at home but online too. For instance, there is always potential that your child will be exposed to age-inappropriate content like explicit lyrics, dangerous stunts or sexual content. loadService(); Fight seasonal allergies in kids. Should I Let My 11-Year Old Kid Use Tiktok? - @Famisafe How to set up TikTok's parental controls: The most important piece of information in TikTok is the user's birthday. Then tap Family Pairing and sync your account with your kid's via the QR code. Ask them to show you their favorite videos. As far as I'm concerned, no child needs to be on social media at the age of 10. The platform uses algorithms to show users different video content based on their interests and other videos they watch. Recommended Video And bypassing that section only requires entering a false birth date, so it's not perfect. Children can easily bypass privacy measures if not supervised by an adult. Parents can manage this by encouraging and modeling safe behavior, and putting limits on the type of information that kids share. If your account is set to private, no one but you can create a Duet or Stitch with your videos. This feature requires access to your childs account through their personal device to set up. Heres everything you need to know about the popular video-sharing app. Learn more about TikTok for Younger Users in our resource here. Under Security and Login users can run a report for security alerts, see what devices their account is logged in on, and manage third-party apps. Heres what we suggest you explore and pay attention to in the app: Family Pairing doesnt allow you to monitor your childs activity. All rights reserved. "Even if you set your own account to private, you may still be exposed to sexual or violent content posted to the public feed," she says. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. It only exists as part of a privacy lawsuit settled by TikTok, so most parents arent aware of it. To set up your account, open up the site on your browser or download the app on your device and then sign up for an account. Privacy / Is TikTok Safe for Kids? For kids under 13, TikTok created a Younger Users version of the social media app. No, the full version of TikTok requires users to be at least 13 years of age. yes it is probably a little inappropriate but it learns what you like and will mostly be showing them kid stuff. However, exposure to age-inappropriate material can still occur, and parental supervision is recommended. To report hateful, violent or other prohibited content on TikTok: You can report TikTok accounts, videos, comments and other improper behavior. The nature of the app might cause kids anxiety. If they do, parents can set up a number of limitations, such as disabling the direct message option and setting daily time limits. Discord requires that users be at least 13 years old, although they do not verify users' age upon signup. These questions should be out of legitimate interest and not to pry into your child's privacy unless, of course, you have reason for concern. They may also become obsessed with likes and virtual approval, which isn't healthy for their emotional well-being. (The app is currently working to be able to monitor TikTok on iOS.) An in-box notification setting can also send you a notification anytime someone you follow likes or comments on videos you're mentioned in, but that doesn't really affect your privacy on TikTok. Poppy Playtime: Is This Popular Horror Game Safe for Kids? If you're worried about something a child or young person may have experienced online, you can contact the NSPCC helpline for free support and advice. You can report something for a variety of reasons, including minor safety, disordered eating, self-harm, adult nudity, bullying, harassment, spam, harmful misinformation, illegal activities, violent content and more. and they're extremely easy to circumvent. Those under 16 don't have access to direct messages. 8 Best Apps for Keeping Tabs on Your Kids. Online safety advice for 6-10 year olds | Internet Matters Is TikTok Safe For Kids and Teens? VPNoverview.com Internet Safety Kids Online The Ultimate Guide to TikTok: Is TikTok Safe for Kids? TikTok is required to comply with the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which limits what data companies can collect about kids under 13. Disable all of the settings to stop your account from being suggested at all, which will make it harder to find. The nature of social media is risky because anyone could have access to your child or their information through some means. Even older children, who may be aware of general privacy risks, may act too impulsively when posting videos that could affect their future. We've also highlighted some fun and educational apps to get them learning online. According to Jordan,. In 2019, the companypaid a $5.7 million fine as part of a data privacy complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against the company under its former name Musical.ly. BuzzFeed News reported on the issue in June, noting that predators who lurk on the app often use "Duets" to send young creators explicit messages. According to TikToks Younger Users privacy policy, TikTok also collects data about your childs device like IP address, browser details, and location, as well as app activity details like time spent in the app, video watches, and general usage information. On both phones, tap the three dots next to the user profile. Previously, TikTok was criticized for not removing accounts that made sexually explicit comments on the accounts of children, posing a serious safety risk for kids on TikTok. And TikTok addiction has negative downstream effects as well. You can also search for content using topics or hashtags. Help for adults concerned about a childCall us on 0808 800 5000, Help for children and young peopleCall Childline on 0800 1111, For supporter, donation and fundraising queries Call us on 020 7825 2505. document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) { Youll need a TikTok account and your teens phone to complete this process from start to finish. I'd be less worried about the content and more the affect it has on their mental health, take it from 19 year old whos pretty socially active. You might be wondering, Is TikTok safe for 11-year-olds? National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. It specializes in video creation and streaming and allows users to record, edit and share short-form videos (either 15 seconds, one minute, or three minutes long). Is TikTok safe for 9 year olds? They also failed to notify parents of exactly how they collected children's data or allow them to ask to have that data deleted.". Research out of China found that depression, anxiety, and stress stemming from TikTok addiction is linked to tied to poorer working memory for teens. With social media platforms like TikTok gaining popularity, there are valid concerns for the parents of older children. The minimum age for TikTok users is 13 years old. In an effort to address these concerns, they created Younger Users. 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. Parents can manage screen time, restrict content, and limit direct messages or turn off the feature completely. If you're not a fan of these features or don't want other users putting your videos into theirs, you can disable them so that no one can Duet or Stitch your video. There are several ways to monitor your child on TikTok. 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. The app has an age-rating of 13+. Is TikTok safe for kids? A parent's opinion. - Mamamia You can (and should!) Is TikTok safe for 10-year-olds? Read questions that others are asking about this popular social media app in our FAQs. Extensively tested by our experts. Here are some tips to set up your own account: Now, youve got your TikTok account. However, the lack of these features makes it unappealing for most kids. document.getElementById('enableRecite').addEventListener("click", function() { It's easy to encounter inappropriate content. 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. He was sent to live with Noah and his son Shem, and he remained with them to . 2. Users between the age of 13 and 15 have their account set to private by default, which prohibits them from private messaging and only allows friends to comment on their videos. Users can create and upload their own videos, many of which feature people lip-synching to popular songs.