Tiktok announced Tuesday that it is rolling out new features to protect teens with its app. Social networks block parents from using teenage tiktoks at certain times, allowing teenage followers and followers to view the list through the new family pairing feature. Tiktok also encourages younger users to clean their phones and fall asleep at night.
The new “timeaway” feature allows parents to block access to Tiktok during teenagers' control periods.
For example, you can choose to block access at family time, school, evening, or weekends. Parents can also use this feature to set a recurring schedule when blocking access to the app. Teens can ask for extra time, but parents can decide whether to grant access or not.
Additionally, parents can see who the teens are following and who are following. They can also see who their teen blocked. Tiktok says this will allow parents to help teens develop digital literacy skills and have ongoing conversations about safety.
Image credit: Tiktok
In the coming months, when a teen reports a video that appears to be against Tiktok's rules, they can choose to warn their parents, even if they are not using family pairings.
Additionally, Tiktok allows for the teenagers who turn it off again, once again allowing for feed on its stems.
Regarding the new “to the wind” feature, which encourages younger users to turn off their phones at night, Tiktok believes it will help teens build balanced digital habits. Now, when teens under 16 are in Tiktok after 10pm, their For You Feed displays a full-screen takeover with calming music to encourage them to relax and take care of their time. If the teen rejects the message, Tiktok will display a second full screen prompt.
Image credit: Tiktok
Over the next few weeks, Tiktok will also be testing the ability to blow meditation exercises into the wind.
Tiktok has been introducing new teen safety features over the past few years in response to concerns about the impact of the app on the youngest users. Tiktok and other social networks have faced questions from lawmakers at legislative hearings about how the platform will negatively affect younger users. The new features announced today are part of the company's efforts to soothe lawmakers.
These latest features are because President Donald Trump extended the deadline for the Tiktok ban 75 days ago in January, leaving Tiktok's fate in the US uncertainty.