Is your tween or teen using TikTok? If you’ve noticed them scrolling through an endless feed of short videos, you’re not alone — TikTok is one of the most popular apps among children and teens today. Here’s what parents need to know.
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If your tween or teen uses TikTok, read on to familiarise yourself with the app and things you should know as a parent.
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What is TikTok?
TikTok is a free social media app available on iOS or Android, designed for creating and sharing short videos. With hundreds of millions of users worldwide, TikTok remains hugely popular with children, tweens and teens.
Similar to YouTube, TikTok gives users access to an endless stream of videos, letting them connect with friends, follow accounts, and interact through likes, comments, and duets with other creators.
TikTok describes itself as a place to “use music and effects to make your own awesome videos by capturing funny and memorable moments to share with the world,” with filters, stickers and music to add to your clips.
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How Does It Work?
When you download the app, you can set up an account using an email address or a social media sign-in. If using email, you’ll be asked for a date of birth and phone number, and a verification code is sent to confirm your account.
Once signed in, users can:
- Upload their own videos and add stickers, filters, music and effects
- Browse the millions of videos already on the platform
- Follow other users
- Search by keyword or hashtag
- Watch a personalised video feed based on what they watch, like and share
- Send and receive direct messages
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Watch: TikTok – A Parent’s Guide
What Do Parents Need to Be Aware Of?
There are a few important things parents should know about TikTok.
TikTok is rated 12+ on the Apple App Store, and Google Play recommends parental guidance. According to TikTok’s own terms and conditions, 13 is the minimum age to sign up. There is a date of birth field during sign-up, but this doesn’t reliably screen out younger children, so age verification shouldn’t be relied on.
When you first download the app, you can browse content without creating an account — you just can’t post, like or share until you sign up. This means a child could see content that isn’t age-appropriate even before setting up a profile.
TikTok is a global, open platform, so there’s little restriction on the type of content that gets posted. Your tween could come across videos, sounds or language that aren’t suitable for their age.
For this reason, TikTok isn’t considered appropriate for younger children — there’s no reliable filter for inappropriate content, and many popular songs used in videos contain explicit language.
Videos can attract likes and comments, and the comments section can occasionally include negative or unkind remarks. Content can also be shared off-platform — to messaging apps, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp — so anything posted on TikTok can end up circulating well beyond the app itself.
To delete an account, users need to request a verification code through the app using a phone number.
Privacy and Digital Wellbeing on TikTok
Accounts are public by default when first created, but TikTok’s privacy settings let you switch to a private account so only approved followers can see your child’s videos.
Within Privacy Settings, users can also control who can find them, comment, duet, react, message them, or view videos they’ve liked, along with a block list for unwanted contacts.
There’s a risk that a stranger could try to contact your child directly, but message settings default to either “Off” or “Friends,” meaning someone generally can’t message a user unless they follow each other. It’s still worth reminding your child to only follow and accept messages from people they know in real life.
One helpful feature is TikTok’s “Digital Wellbeing” setting, which lets you set a daily time limit on the app. Once the limit is reached, a passcode is needed to keep using it.
You may decide TikTok isn’t right for your family just yet — and that’s a valid choice. If you do allow your tween or teen to use it, here are some practical tips.
Tips for Parents if Your Tween or Teen is Using TikTok
#1. Try it yourself
Download the app and ask your tween or teen to show you around. Seeing it through their eyes is one of the best ways to understand what they’re actually using.
#2. Have a conversation about internet safety
Remind your child to tell you if they see anything strange or receive any uncomfortable messages, and that they should never share personal information with a stranger online.
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#3. Talk about connecting with strangers online
Have an honest conversation about talking to strangers online — is there any real benefit to it, and what are the risks?
#4. Set time limits
TikTok’s Digital Wellbeing setting is a helpful start, but it isn’t a substitute for your own household rules around screen time.
#5. Remain vigilant
Even after you’ve had the safety conversation, keep checking in regularly with your child. Stay curious, stay involved, and keep the conversation going as the app — and their use of it — evolves.
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Does your tween or teen use TikTok? What are your thoughts on it? Leave a comment below and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is TikTok suitable for?
TikTok is rated 12+ on the Apple App Store, and its own terms and conditions set the minimum sign-up age at 13. However, the app doesn’t verify age at sign-up in any meaningful way, so it’s up to parents to decide what’s right for their child.
Can strangers message my child on TikTok?
By default, direct messages are restricted to mutual followers or turned off entirely, so a stranger generally can’t message your child unless they follow each other. It’s still worth talking to your child about only connecting with people they know in real life.
How can I limit how much time my child spends on TikTok?
TikTok has a built-in “Digital Wellbeing” setting that allows you to set a daily time limit, after which a passcode is required to keep using the app. Many parents combine this with their own household screen time rules.
Can I make my child’s TikTok account private?
Yes. Accounts are public by default, but you can switch to a private account in the settings so only approved followers can see uploaded videos.
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