TikTok

What is TikTok?

TikTok is a social media platform where users create and share short videos, often featuring lip-syncing, dancing, or comedy skits. It's popular for its user-generated content and viral trends.

How Safe is TikTok?

While TikTok offers safety features like private accounts and age-based restrictions, parental supervision is essential. Features like Restricted Mode and Family Pairing allow parents to control content and time limits.

How Does TikTok Work?

Users sign up with an email or phone number and can explore videos through search, hashtags, or following other users. They can create their own videos and interact with others' content.

Is TikTok Appropriate for Kids?

TikTok can be kid-friendly with parental guidance and safety settings. However, mature content and commercial elements may make it unsuitable for younger children.

How can I use TikTok with my kids?

You can provide a buffer between kids and iffy content by watching with your kids and making videos together. Offer to hold the camera or turn it around to do a selfie duet. You can post it or save it as "private" so only you can see. The app also lets you share videos by email, text, or other social media apps, where you can better control who sees it.

Does TikTok have parental controls?

TikTok offers a few ways for parents and caregivers to manage kids' accounts. You can enable time limits and the content filter on your kid's phone and protect the settings with a passcode. Or you can download TikTok, create your own account, and use the Family Pairing feature to manage your kid's TikTok settings using your phone. (If you choose Family Pairing, you'll need your kid's phone to sync the settings.)

Here's how to enable screen limits and filter content on your kid's phone: Go to your kid's TikTok account within the app and tap the three dots at the top right of the user profile. Then select "Digital Wellbeing" next to the icon of an umbrella. From there, select the features you want to enable:

Screen Time Management. This setting limits users' time in the app per day. If you're only enabling this on your kid's phone, choose a passcode to lock the setting.

Restricted Mode. This blocks mature content, but even with the filter on, kids using the app on their own might come across age-inappropriate videos. Lock the setting with a passcode.

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. Then, make sure you have your kid's phone and their TikTok login handy.

Family Pairing. On both phones, tap the three dots next to the user profile. Then tap Family Pairing and sync your account with your kid's via the QR code.

Keep in mind that kids can always re-download TikTok and create a new account using a different phone number or email address, so any controls you enable aren't foolproof.