Is TikTok Safe for Kids?

Parents should be cautious about their kids using social media. As TikTok (Buy TikTok Followers) is one of the most used applications on social media platforms, you can see the app installed in many of the people around you.

So, if you are a parent, keep an eye on your kid’s phone to make sure they are using the right platforms suitable for their age.

As a parent, you might ask: is TikTok good for kids?

Of course, there is no fixed answer to this question, but there are many data to think of when thinking of this question.

What Is TikTok's Age Limit?

TikTok’s official age limit is: 13 years old

This requirement is based on compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States and similar privacy laws worldwide.

TikTok has a different section for those under 13. The content here is limited based on their age. The videos posted here are suitable for children under 13, but there is another concern; children can bypass this restriction by entering a false age.

Potential Risks of TikTok for Kids

All social media platforms have potential risks for the kids including TikTok. Here in this blog of YaraPlus, we will learn about the potential risks using TikTok might have.

Exposure to inappropriate content:

During the process of browsing the platform, children sometimes get access to videos with adult content or violence.

Harassment:

Due to TikTok being an open social app where users can comment on and share other’s videos, there is an ability for cyberbullying or negative interactions. The children might be exposed to these negative comments and might read things they should not.

Privacy concerns:

TikTok gathers user’s information, and there have been issues regarding it. Kids might post information that they would not normally post on their own, thus, jeopardizing one’s privacy is one of the risks of kids using TikTok.

Dangerous trends and challenges:

Lots of viral (Go Viral on TikTok) trends and challenges that are implemented into TikTok often tend to be rather perilous. With this, children might be forced into joining something without really knowing the dangers involved.

Excessive screen time:

TikTok is very amusing to everyone, which is why kids might get addicted to using it and spend a lot of time on TikTok every day.

How to Keep Your Kids Safe On TikTok?

1. Set up a private account: as long as your child has a private account, the content they share will be seen only by approved followers.
2. Use Family Pairing: there is a Family Pairing feature that allows parents to control their child’s account by linking the two accounts. Parents can control screen time, and direct messages, and enable restricted mode on TikTok.
3. Monitor activity: check his phone every day to see what he/she is watching on TikTok. Do this regularly to restrict them from inappropriate content.
4. Establish usage limits: set rules for their TikTok usage and encourage them to do other activities rather than social media.
5. Teach online safety: talk to the children about the importance of not sharing personal information on social media.

Buy TikTok Views and Boost your TikTok Posts!

What TikTok is Doing to Protect Children?

Some of the measures that TikTok has put in place to ensure children are safe and boost their security include:

The company has implemented several measures to prevent under 13 years old kids to register such as the use of age verification restrictions. 

TikTok has also come up with the Family Pairing feature where the parents can control all the settings of their children including the amount of time they spend on the app and the kind of content they are allowed to watch.

To protect teenagers and children, TikTok has banned the direct messaging for all the accounts that belong to users under the age of sixteen, and the accounts of such users are not shown on the platform by default.

The platform also has an element of teaching the youth about their use of the internet through special education materials thus getting to learn about online safety and privacy among other aspects. In addition, to that it has a long-term partnership with child protection agencies and child safety specialists. Through constant safety checks and updating of the safety features of the app, TikTok seeks to offer a safer platform for young users where they can be entertained without being exposed to a lot of dangers.

Read more: The Complete Guide to TikTok Analytics

Should You Allow Your Child to Use TikTok?

So if your child should use TikTok regularly, the answer will depend on the child’s age, the degree to which he or she is educated in following all necessary rules of the internet, and how much parental supervision you’re willing to provide.

The recommendation is that if your child is under 13 years they should not use TikTok at all. Parents should stay tuned even when their children are over 13 years old since it is possible to keep TikTok safe with the help of privacy settings.

Don’t forget to Evaluate your child for his/her ability to handle the risks associated with social media and see how you can restrict the child to have only the best experience online.

Next read: How to Change Phone Number on TikTok?