TikTok is introducing new settings meant to reduce the time kids spend in the app. In an update, the company says it will automatically impose a 60-minute daily screen time limit on teens under 18.
TikTok will fix a default 60-minute daily time limit for all accounts owned by people under 18 and is developing a tool for parents to prevent their children from viewing content containing certain words or hashtags, as part of the company’s efforts to solidify its public image.
When the 60 minute limit is reached, teens will be prompted to enter an access code to keep watching videos on the social media app, which will force them to “ make an active decision to keep scrolling through the videos, the company said.
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TikTok said it had set this 60-minute threshold by consulting academic research and experts from Boston Children’s Hospital’s Digital Wellness Lab. There have long been concerns about what minors are exposed to on social media and the harm they can cause, and these new limitations may well help combat that problem. A report published late last year suggests that TikTok algorithms are promoting videos about self-harm and eating disorders to vulnerable teenagers.
TikTok also said it would start sending notifications to younger users, suggesting they set a daily usage limit. if they decide to opt out of the new 60-minute limit. ” Research shows that being more aware of how we spend our time can help us be more intentional about the decisions we make. “said TikTok. ” So we also urge teens to set a daily screen time limit if they choose to deviate from the default 60 minutes and spend more than 100 minutes on TikTok in a day. “.
TikTok wants to allow parents to better monitor their children
Cormac Keenan, Head of Trust and Safety at TikTok, adds that for accounts where the user is under the age of 13, a parent or guardian will need to set or enter an existing access code to authorize 30 minutes of additional viewing once the initial limit of 60 minutes has been reached.
In addition, the application will develop offers intended to give parents detailed information about their children’s overall usage. This tool includes data on the time a user spends on the application, the number of times TikTok has been opened and an analysis of total app usage during the day and night. Parents can also set a schedule for when their children receive notifications, and choose to filter out topics they don’t want to appear in their “For You” feeds.
The social media platform said it was working hard to increase parent awareness as part of an ongoing effort to bring joy and play a positive role in how people express themselves “, according to a press release. ” Every teenager is different, and every family is too. That’s why we strive to provide parents with the information they need on TikTok. said Cormac Keenan
The feature will be rolling out in the coming weeks “, according to the press release of TikTok, but we do not know the exact date of his arrival. The update comes as U.S. lawmakers have renewed efforts to outright ban TikTok. Aside from national security concerns, Congress also blamed the company for not doing enough to protect its youngest users.
