TikTok announced that users under the age of 18 will have a daily screen time limit of one hour as the default setting on their account. This is a measure that seeks to prevent teenagers from spending too much time in the app.
However, TikTok has also given teen users the option to turn off this default setting.
Although this option is available, the company hopes that younger users will think about their digital well-being and consider opting for the stricter screen time limits. If the 60-minute limit is reached, users will need to enter a passcode to extend the time they spend watching videos on the app.
If a teen decides to turn off this new default limit and spends more than 100 minutes on TikTok a day, they’ll be asked to set a daily screen time limit for themselves. According to the company, in the first month of testing this approach, the use of screen time management tools increased by 234%.
TikTok also announced some updates to family matchmaking. This feature allows parents or caregivers to link their TikTok account with their teen’s account and set custom controls. Parents will now be able to filter videos with words or hashtags they don’t want to appear in their teen’s feed, set a custom daily screen time limit for their teen, and a custom schedule to mute notifications.
This move comes after years of scrutiny over the impact of social media on young users, including its potential to lead teens to dangerous content. With this measure, TikTok hopes to improve your safety and well-being.
TikTok recently faced pressure from Washington due to its ties to China through its parent company, ByteDance.
More information
https://support.tiktok.com/es/account-and-privacy/account-information/screen-time