For any age child, talk to them about setting their privacy controls as strongly as possible. "The law requires companies to obtain parental consent to collect the data of kids under 13, and TikTok did not do so. If your account is set to private, no one but you can create a Duet or Stitch with your videos. Kids may not realize that when they put a video out, they are telling people on the Internet things about themselves. COPPA limits what data social media apps can collect from kids under 13. In general, there are better social media alternatives for 10-year-olds. 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. 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. However, you should still review the settings to ensure theyve been set up correctly. They may use these features to build trust with your child, which could lead to physical danger. Just as it says, this feature lets you manage screen time by having you choose between a 40-, 60-, 90-, or 120-minute time limit per day on the app. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). If a teen reaches their limit, they have to enter a passcode to keep scrolling. She is 10 years old. Children are more protected through TikToks Under 13 version and parental account features. Common Sense recommends the app for age 15+ mainly due to the privacy issues and mature content. Cookies / On the "Settings and privacy" page, tap Privacy. In her free time, she enjoys traveling within the states to kayak, camp, and hike. If you select the "only me" option for the following list, other users will still be able to see your mutual friends. Younger Users also cannot publicly share personal information, including videos or profile details. Once you send in a Spotlight, it's public and can be viewed by anyone on or off the platform. This allows full access to mature content such as sexually explicit themes, drug-related activities, and violence. If you're only enabling this on your kid's phone, choose a passcode to lock the setting. That takes you to the Discoverability page. Online safety activities to do with your child. On both phones, tap the three dots next to the user profile. Where there is social media, theres inappropriate content. Parents can also disable their kid's search functionality and prevent other users from seeing which videos their kid has liked. You can enable time limits and the content filter on your kid's phone and protect the settings with a passcode. Proud to be ranked in all 10 pediatric specialties the last five years. Discord requires that users be at least 13 years old, although they do not verify users' age upon signup. 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. Family Pairing connects your TikTok account to your childs account through a QR code. 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. Jordan points out that the app's "Duets" feature, which allows you to remix another user's video and lip-synch or dance alongside them in a new clip, has been exploited by sexual predators. These options range from using a limited version of the app to just keeping an eye on the content their children are consuming. However, being active in the digital world means that your child is always accessible to some extent. 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. Sitemap / "This is the largest civil penalty in a children's privacy case in history," Jordan says. 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). There are six security settings that can help you to keep TikTok safe for your child and prevent them seeing anything that might worry or upset them: Explore TikToks Guardian Guide for more information. 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) { Chances are they wont. But some, such as the skull-breaker, are really dangerous. If someone is tagging you in videos you don't want to see or mentioning you in comments as a way of targeted harassment, there is a way to prevent unwanted tagging. Have an open dialogue about the app and internet safety practices. Abram went to hide in a cave and remain until it was safe (Jasher 8:36). 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. Is Overwatch Safe for Kids? Many kids on TikTok like to create videos, but plenty of people don't post themselvesthey just use the app to find and follow content creators. When setting limits and rules, ensure your child knows there will be no negative consequences if they come to you with safety concerns. Children of all ages utilize the platform for entertainment and communication and to gain a social following. This means that not everyones For You Page is the same. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. To stop your account from being recommended by TikTok: By default, your account is suggested to other people on TikTok. Offer to help film videos for them. 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. Instead, you can ask to follow your child. The solution is hands-on parenting. However, you should still review the settings to ensure they've been set up correctly. Social Media. We all know that many kids younger than that are watching and sometimes creating TikToks, so the site suggests that if your younger child wants . According to the TikTok policy, the user must be at least 13 years old to use the app's full features. The social media company was also sued in the UK on the basis that the app collects childrens personal information and does not provide a clear explanation as to what the company does with the data. We want people to have fun on TikTok, but it's also important for our community to look after their wellbeing which means having a healthy relationship with online apps and services," according to TikTok. 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. Fellowship and Subspecialty Training Programs, Child Life and Music Therapy Training Opportunities, Pediatric Clinical Trials & Experimental Medication, Resources for Transgender Youth and Their Families. TikTok has a poor history of data security. Less data is collected from TikToks Younger Users compared to users aged 13 and above. But as kids have been continuing to hit download, parents are still wondering if it's. 2K Likes, TikTok video from SharkTank (@sharktank_tiktok): "A 10-year-old girl introduces a safe and fun spoon design for kids - Part 2 #sharktank #foryou #fyp #projectpollo #deal #money #show #foryoupage #fyp". So no, my daughter isn't allowed to have TikTok. And bypassing that section only requires entering a false birth date, so it's not perfect. They also have restricted access to direct messages and livestreaming. TikTok allows creators to access popular songs to edit their videos, some of which contain harsh curse words and sexual language. Heres everything you need to know about the popular video-sharing app. }); For instance, TikTok collects registration details including name, birth date, username, and password. For kids age 13 to 15, accounts are private by default; only friends can comment on videos, and other users can't duet (explained below) with your videos To set up Family Pairing so you can manage the above settings, plus safety and privacy, first download TikTok onto your phone and create an account. Who you follow and what you like can give others more information than you might want to share, but you can easily set TikTok so that no one but you can see your follower list and liked videos. They won't be able to publish the video without selecting who will be allowed to see it. What Parents Need To Know About the Gas App. TikTok does not verify your child's age when they sign up for an account. TikTok created a Younger Users experience for kids under 13 who want to explore the social media site with less risk. If you have kids on TikTok, or even use the service yourself, it's important to familiarize yourself with all the features and settings TikTok provides to help bolster your privacy. Kidzworld: This is a moderated, child-friendly application that allows children to participate in forums and chat with others their age. Is TikTok safe for 11 year olds? With 3 billion downloads to date, TikTok is currently the hottest social media site for tweens and teens. Below, we discuss in detail the various dangers your child might encounter if they join TikTok. There are also several tutorial videos that can help kids learn how to use tiktok. Kids on TikTok often want their videos to be liked, and this makes them vulnerable to safety threats on TikTok, like sexual exploitation. Although you have to enter a birthday at account creation, TikTok does not take additional measures to verify age. Kids use TikTok as a way to connect with their friends and have some creative self-expression. Childline offers free, confidential advice and support whatever your worry, whenever you need help. Read questions that others are asking about this popular social media app in our FAQs. Many people use DMs to harass, bully and spam other people. It's not all fun, games, and lip-sync videos, after all. The private message and comment features also allow potential predators to connect with your child while posing as a younger kid. With 3 billion downloads to date, TikTok is currently the hottest social media site for tweens and teens. TikTok offers a few ways for parents and caregivers to manage kids' accounts. Below, we provide general pointers on how to keep kids safe on TikTok. Common Sense recommends the app for age 15+, TikTok doesn't necessarily have a perfect record, Help Kids Navigate Viral Social Media Stunts. Our app reviews will guide you toward the best apps for this age group, and steer you away from the ones that aren't worth your time. Parents can set a passcode in the childs account to prevent them from disabling the feature. Then tap Family Pairing and sync your account with your kid's via the QR code. 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. Nonetheless, the case is a reason parents should remain vigilant against data abuses, she says. However, there is a way to help prevent that from happening to you. These videos can be grouped by hashtags, which often correspond to challenges, memes, or current events (like #pandemiclife). The presence of cyberbullies, predators, and inappropriate content makes the platform a dangerous place. TikTok has a feature that allows two users who aren't in the same place to perform a duet. "Some are even publicly encouraged to attempt suicide.". TikTok has different rules for different ages: Users under age 13 can't post videos or comment, and content is curated for a younger audience. Youll need a TikTok account and your teens phone to complete this process from start to finish. The default is referred to as "For You," which is an algorithmically generated stream of videos similar to Instagram's Explore page, Wired explains. Sign them up for the curated version for tweens under 13. Other tools that offer parental controls and monitoring services include Secure Teen and Norton Family Premier. Parents have several options when it comes to monitoring their childrens accounts. Sometimes they're spontaneous, but sometimes they're planned out by brands, musical artists, or influencers for marketing purposes. Each of these parental controls requires a passcode. Is TikTok Safe For Kids and Teens? 8 Best Apps for Keeping Tabs on Your Kids. She has an educational background in journalism and has worked in content marketing across several industries, including finance and cybersecurity. If that's a problem, you'll need to individually block any followers that you don't want seeing your videos. As far as I'm concerned, no child needs to be on social media at the age of 10. 2. It's easy to encounter inappropriate content. In time, your kids will begin exercising initiative and start protecting themselves online on their own. They can be songs, activities, or dances that start trending and then get copied by users on the platform. Using the Friends setting or turning those features off completely limits contact with strangers. And TikTok addiction has negative downstream effects as well. The nature of social media is risky because anyone could have access to your child or their information through some means. Keep an open and honest discussion about theirand yourdigital literacy and footprint.". 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. These are all opportunities to get a better feel for what they are doing while also giving them positive reinforcement for being responsible, safe, and maybe even creative or artistic. To learn more about online safety for your kids, read our definitive guide here. If an account is pretending to be someone else or harassing people in general, you might be able to report the offending actions and have the account restricted or permanently banned. Get health tips and parenting advice from Children's Health experts sent straight to your inbox twice a month. Users can browse different videos on TikTok via a personalised feed known as the For You Page. 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. Is TikTok inappropriate for kids under 10 years old? It can also be an easy-to-use group-chatting tool for friends. Toggle the switch for Private Account. Learn more about viral internet stunts and how to talk to your kid about them. You will also notice if a dangerous challenge is trending, like the #tidepodchallenge that was devastatingly fatal for some teens. "Some children might set their account up with a fake age, to appear older than they are, and this makes it more likely that they will be exposed to content that is not suitable for them.". Hi, I'm Ashley Potter. In addition to security issues, there are other problems with the social media app that could cause issues for your child. Receive expert tips on using phones, computers, smart home gear and more. TikTok encourages content creation, as users can use the "Reactions" feature to respond to videos they like with their own take. Users can block and report accounts or comments, but critics say TikTok is often slow in addressing reports.