TikTok adds new features to help teens develop balanced digital habits
New ways we're supporting parents and helping teens build balanced digital habits - Newsroom | TikTok
https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/new-ways-we-are-supporting-parents-and-helping-teens-build-balanced-digital-habits
TikTok's mood music will tell teens to 'wind down' after 10PM | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/627589/tiktok-wind-down-calming-music-teen-safety
TikTok Will Try to Lull Kids to Sleep to Stop Endless Scrolling
https://gizmodo.com/tiktok-will-try-to-lull-kids-to-sleep-to-stop-endless-scrolling-2000574438
Parents can now see their teen's followers and set screen time restrictions on TikTok - Neowin
https://www.neowin.net/news/parents-can-now-see-their-teens-followers-and-set-screen-time-restrictions-on-tiktok/
TikTok will try instituting a 10pm curfew on most teens
https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-will-try-instituting-a-10pm-curfew-on-most-teens-165416916.html
◆New features added to parental controls
TikTok began offering its own parental controls in 2020. Since then, TikTok has been continuously improving its parental control features based on user feedback and expert advice.
The new feature added to parental controls is the ability to prevent children from using TikTok at set times. Parents can use the 'Break Time' feature of parental controls to specify 'time periods when children cannot use TikTok.' Children can also request that their parents allow them to use TikTok, but if the parent does not allow it, they will not be able to use TikTok during the specified times.
To access the 'Break Time' feature, open TikTok's 'Settings & Privacy' screen and tap 'Parental Controls.'
Select the linked account for which you want to set up 'Break Time.'
Tap 'Watch Time.'
Tap 'Set a break time'.
Tap the toggle to enable it.
From here, you can set the 'time periods when your child cannot use TikTok' for each day of the week.
In addition, parents can now use the new parental controls to see who their child is following on TikTok, who is following their child's account, who their child is blocking on TikTok, etc. TikTok explains that this feature 'gives parents greater visibility into their child's network, making it easier for them to have ongoing conversations with their children and help them develop the digital literacy they need.'
Additionally, in response to parental requests, TikTok will be rolling out an option in the coming months to 'alert a parent or trusted adult if their child reports a video they believe violates TikTok's rules, even if they're not using parental controls.'
TikTok also added the following safety, health, and privacy features:
- A feature that allows you to enable
Customizable screen time limits. For example, you can limit your child's TikTok usage to 30 minutes on weekdays and a little longer on weekends. Once the limit is reached, teens can only continue to use TikTok if a parent shares a unique passcode with them. Even if parents don't customize it, teens under the age of 18 will be limited to a default 60 minutes of usage per day.
- If a child's account is set to public, the ability to reset the account to the default private setting.
◆Adds features to help teens develop balanced digital habits
Additionally, TikTok has added a new feature to help teens stay off TikTok at night. When teens under the age of 16 use TikTok after 10 p.m., the new 'wind down' feature interrupts the 'recommended' feed and plays a full-screen calming music. If they try to continue using TikTok after the 'wind down' screen appears, they'll be greeted with a full-screen prompt that's harder to dismiss. TikTok intentionally doesn't push notifications to teenagers at night, but the 'wind down' screen appears to be unavoidable.
TikTok explained about the 'Wind Down' feature, 'We designed Wind Down to reflect best practices from behavior change theory by providing positive prompts that help teens develop balanced, long-term habits. In countries where it's already being piloted, the majority of teens have decided to keep the reminder on. Research has shown that mindfulness meditation can improve sleep quality, so in the coming weeks we'll also be testing additional relaxation meditation exercises.'
TikTok is also taking an active role in age assurance. TikTok will continue to enforce its age rules and add new ways to verify the age of people using the platform. As part of its enforcement, the company will continue to use technology such as machine learning to keep people under the age of 13 from using the platform and ensure that teenagers have an age-appropriate experience.
'Throughout 2025, we will continue to make thoughtful decisions to keep TikTok safe, especially for teens,' TikTok said.