What is TikTok?

It’s based mostly around several of a similar options found on those platforms and Tiktok is a social media app wherever users will each produce and watch short video snippets, usually in the course of music.

Over the 2 years since its launch, the app has collected quite 800 million active users and has systematically stayed at the highest of each the Google Play Store and Apple App Store charts.

What kind of content is on TikTok?

You can notice videos with reference to most interests on TikTok, from DIY tricks and make-up tutorials to vice and sports. individuals square measure allowed to let their imagination run wild on TikTok, as there isn’t extremely a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ kind of content.

Your kid would possibly use TikTok to select up new skills, learn the way to play associate instrument or perhaps connect with individuals they share associate interest with.

The videos square measure usually elfish and take most advantage of the written material tools to form the fifteen seconds of video as unforgettable as attainable. though most of the content

you’ll notice is upbeat, funny and joyful, individuals additionally use

the platform to reply to current events like the #BlackLivesMatter campaign and therefore the COVID-19 pandemic.

This has junction rectifier to dispute within the past, with TikTok having been defendant of censoring politically-charged TikTok content that was particularly essential of the Chinese government.

But TikTok features a set of community tips all content should adhere to and doesn’t allow, as an example, violent, racist, extremist or sexually express content on the platform.

How will it work?

Users don’t would like associate account to observe videos on TikTok however if they require to love, comment, customise their feed or produce their own video content, they’ll be prompted to sign in for a free account.

Like most social media platforms, TikTok needs its users to be a minimum of thirteen years recent, though there’s no strong age-verification in situ. once work sure the primary time, the user are going to be asked to log in mistreatment either their email, their Google account, or by linking TikTok to at

After getting into their date of birth and choosing that topics they’re inquisitive about – like sports, popular culture, music or vice – the user are going to be born straight into the feed.

add a reputation, profile image or the other personal data is their alternative.

Users square measure given complete inventive management of their content. generating a video is incredibly simple and there’s a spread of tools accessible to spruce up the TikTok content, like filters, effects, text and stickers.

Are there any risks?

Data collection: TikTok has antecedently come back vulnerable for lawlessly aggregation the information of youngsters below thirteen, that resulted during a best fine from the America Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of £4.2m and harsh criticism from the UK’s data Commissioner’s workplace (ICO).

Fortuitously, TikTok doesn’t need users to administer a lot of personal data to affix the app any longer, however it’s a decent plan to minimise the quantity of knowledge your kid stores on the app and switch off individualised ads within the settings.

Sexual messages sent to teenagers. The platform’s tips embody a region dedicated to ‘Minor safety’, that states “We square measure deeply committed to kid safety and have intolerance for predatory or grooming behavior toward  make sure to regulate the app’s settings.

More recommendation below) and let your kid recognize that they’ll come back to you if they’ve had a nasty expertise that has concerned being contacted by a interloper.

TikTok live: there’s a live-streaming feature of TikTok that’s solely accessible for users aged 16+. Users will begin a live-stream or answer another user with their own live-stream.

Whereas live-streaming may be a fun and immediate thanks to interact with others, there’s a risk that younger users might be live-streaming with adults in associate unattended setting.

Risky challenges: The social media platform is known for spawning infective agent challenges that square measure an enormous draw for several users. however TikTok has received heaps of flak for permitting probably dangerous challenges – like the Skullbreaker Challenge and therefore the Outlet Challenge – to succeed in quality on its platform.

Check that that your kid is aware of to not attempt risky activities they see on TikTok. you’ll be able to notice any data on infective agent trends during this Parent information article.

Does TikTok have any parental controls?

TikTok provide its users a spread of settings to customize their expertise and build it safer for youngsters. These controls have recently been tightened up as a part of a joint effort by the platform to form it safer for its younger users.

Though it’s vital in-tuned in mind that settings and parental controls don’t eliminate risk, they’ll be a decent opening.

Private accounts

One of the most TikTok considerations oldsters have regarding social media is that their kid may well be contacted by strangers United Nations agency won’t have their best interest deep down. In Jan 2021,

TikTok updated its privacy settings in order that accounts for under-16s square measure set to personal by default. this suggests that alternative users should be approved before they’ll see and move together with your child’s content or contact them.

If your kid is sixteen or seventeen, or your 13-15-year recent has modified the default, you’ll be able to set it to personal like this:

Go to your child’s ‘Account’ section and faucet the three-dot menu within the top-right corner of the screen.

Toggle the ‘Private account’ slider at the highest of the page.

How to strain inappropriate content

TikTok is tempered and content that doesn’t uphold its community tips is endlessly weedless out. however if you would like to any minimise the danger of your kid weaving across mature content, it’s a decent plan to modify ‘Restricted Mode’.

TikTok doesn’t expressly say however this works, just that it “limits the looks of content that will not be acceptable for all audiences”. To modify it:

• Go to your child’s ‘Account’ section and faucet the three-dot menu within the top-right corner of the screen.
• Select ‘Digital Wellbeing’ any down on the ‘Settings and privacy’ menu.
• Go onto the page for ‘Restricted Mode’ and faucet ‘Turn on Restricted Mode’.
• You’ll then be asked to line a parole you wish to enter to disable it once more.

Research has found that a moderate quantity of screen time per day may be terribly helpful for your kid, however that doesn’t mean you can’t value more highly to set limits.

TikTok offers a Screen Time Management feature which provides the user a custom daily quota, once that they’ll ought to input a parole to continue.

Go to your child’s ‘Account’ section and faucet the three-dot menu within the top-right corner of the screen.

Select ‘Digital Wellbeing’ any down on the ‘Settings and privacy’ menu.

Go onto the page for ‘Screen Time Management’ and faucet ‘Turn on Screen Time Management’.

You’ll then be asked to line a parole you wish to enter to disable it once more. If you’ve already enabled ‘Restricted Mode’, it’ll be a similar parole.

How am i able to facilitate my kid be safer on TikTok?

Using social media may be associate enriching activity for youngsters and a decent thanks to keep in-tuned with their social circle throughout these strange times.

Though TikTok has considerably stepped up its efforts to stay youngsters safe, it’s vital that your kid is responsive to the risks they might encounter and acumen to reply.

First of all, inform your kid to be conscious of what they share and United Nations agency they share it with. If they value more highly to have associate open profile, they have to know what meaning – everybody will see what they post.

TikTok additionally features a feature that enables alternative users to save lots of their videos, though this can be now not accessible for content announce by below 16s.

Older users will disable this feature by about to the Privacy and Safety choices and turning off ‘Allow your videos to be downloaded’. attempt prying the settings along, therefore you’ll be able to each share your views on what ought to be adjusted.

Social media may be hotbeds for information and scams, therefore encourage your kid to suppose critically regarding the items they see in their feed. If one thing looks too smart to be true, chances are high that it in all probability is.

It might appear obvious, however reassure your kid that if they need associatey questions about the app or have had an uncomfortable expertise, they’ll come back to you for support.

And last however not least, check that that your kid is aware of the way to report videos or users if they stumble across inappropriate content and the way to dam users United Nations agency square measure bothering them.

How to report and block a user

• Go to the user’s profile and hit the three-dot menu within the top-right corner of the screen.
• Click either ‘Report’ or ‘Block’ from the menu which will seem at all-time low of the screen.
• In each cases you’ll be asked to administer a quick description of the problem and complete a number of additional steps.

How to report a video

• Find the video you would like to report within the feed or on the user’s profile.
• Click the sagittiform ‘Share’ button on the right-hand facet and choose the flag-shaped ‘Report’ icon from the menu.

Give a temporary description of however the video was inappropriate and follow the steps.