TikTok is tightening its safety measures for teenagers, starting with disabling nighttime notifications. Accounts belonging to users aged 13-15 will no longer receive push notifications after 9 PM, while 16-17-year-olds will not be disturbed after 10 PM. The primary intention is to promote good digital habits and potentially aid parents in establishing a sleep routine for their teens.
Beyond this, TikTok users aged 16-17 need to actively enable direct messages. Accounts belonging to users under 16 are unable to view or send direct messages. The company aims to guide 16-17-year-olds towards making informed decisions regarding privacy settings by setting up direct message permissions to the default "Nobody." Existing accounts will receive a prompt to review and confirm their personal data protection settings.
Additionally, teenagers attempting to publish their first video will receive a pop-up message that assists them in understanding their data privacy options better. They won't be able to publish the video without making a choice on who can view it.
TikTok, popular among teenagers, is no stranger to ill-intentioned activities like cyberbullying and potentially harmful content. Over 12,000 Americans have signed an open letter, urging TikTok to allow parents to view their child's content on the platform for an extra layer of protection.
In response, TikTok is collaborating with teenagers, community organizations, and parents to execute further changes, aiming to strengthen its commitment to safety. Users must be at least 13 years old to create a TikTok account, but there's uncertainty regarding how the company verifies users' age.
On its website, TikTok advises users to input their full birthdate to prevent access to pre-filled age requirements. The company also utilizes user-provided information like keywords and in-app reports from its community to identify potentially underage accounts. If TikTok's security team suspects a minor account, the account will be temporarily suspended.
During the first quarter of 2023, TikTok reported removing almost 7.3 million accounts where there was a suspicion of underage users.
Parental control features, including family pairing, restricted mode, and content monitoring, are some additional safety measures that TikTok offers. These tools empower parents to customize safety settings, filter out inappropriate content, and monitor their teen's activity on the app.
By strengthening its age verification processes and introducing new safety features, TikTok hopes to create a more secure environment for its young users while adhering to privacy and data protection regulations.
[1] [5]
