MANY parents may be glad to know TikTok is about to give them more parental control over what their kids watch on the app.
The short video clip platform announced it will be expanding the Family Pairing feature, which has a selection of tools that can filter content.
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Family Pairing lets an adult link their account with that of a teen.
Tools such as ‘Search’ allow users to decide what a teen can search for on the app including keywords, usernames, hashtags and sounds.
The ‘Screen Time Management’ feature does what the name suggests and allows you to limit time on the app.
There’s also a ‘Restricted Mode’, which enables you to restrict content that isn’t appropriate for children so a much more limited amount may appear on their For You feed.
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If there’s an issue with who is commenting on your child’s posts then you can use the new ‘Comment’ feature to restrict certain people from doing so.
You can also restrict who can DM your child if they are 17 or older.
Users who are 16 or younger automatically don’t have the Direct Message feature.
The privacy of an account can also be controlled as well as who can see the Liked Videos section.
TikTok said: “Every family is different.
“Some may choose to use Family Pairing only when their teen starts on TikTok; others may choose to stay connected to their teen’s account for longer; and even without Family Pairing enabled, teens can always take advantage of these tools by selecting them individually through their app settings.
“Whatever parents and teens decide is right for them, we hope Family Pairing will encourage families to have broader conversations about digital safety.”
If your child is under 13, they can use the more protective TikTok for Younger Users.
TikTok explains: “In this ecosystem, users can experience and make fun, creative, and even educational videos but cannot post those videos, comment on others’ videos, message with others, or maintain a profile or followers.”
Then when they’re 14 they can start using their own profile.
There’s still a chance TikTok could be banned in the US due to concerns over data protection.
The Chinese company needs to find a buyer for its US operations.
How to set up Family Pairing on TikTok
Open your TikTok app and go to your Profile page.
Click on the three dots in the top right corner and then click Digital Wellbeing.
Tap on Family Pairing and then select the ‘Parent’ option when you’re asked who is using this account.
Your phone screen will then show a QR code.
You then need to open your child’s phone and go to the TikTok app.
Follow the exact steps above but when you’re asked who is using the account you need to click ‘Teen’.
Then scan the QR code that’s on your phone screen.
Your accounts should now be paired.
You can start customising settings via your TikTok account.
TIKTOK: A BRIEF GUIDE TO THE WORLD’S MOST DOWNLOADED APP
TikTok lets users create and share short videos with music and camera effects.
It is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, founded by the entrepreneur Zhang Yiming.
The $75 billion conglomerate acquired the Musical.ly app in 2017 and merged it with TikTok, bringing millions of new users.
It is the world’s most downloaded iPhone app – with nearly 800 million downloads across the globe, according to data from mobile research firm Sensor Tower.
Facebook has taken notice of TikTok’s rising popularity, and launched a competitor app called Lasso in November last year.
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What are your thoughts on TikTok? Let us know in the comments…
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
