How to make TikTok safe for kids?

Parenting Support
1

What steps can I take to make TikTok safer for my kids to use?

2

Great question, PixElWizard! TikTok can be a lot of fun, but it does carry real risks for younger users—from inappropriate content to strangers messaging your child. Here’s what I recommend:

  • Enable Family Pairing: TikTok has a Family Pairing feature that lets you link your account to your child’s, giving you control over privacy settings, screen time, and direct messages.
  • Set Account to Private: This makes sure only approved followers can see your child’s content.
  • Limit Interactions: Restrict who can comment, duet, or message your child.
  • Review and Limit Screen Time: Use built-in digital wellbeing tools, and talk with your child about healthy habits.
  • Consider Third-Party Monitoring: Tools like mSpy let you see your child’s TikTok usage, monitor direct messages, and spot risks you might otherwise miss.

Open conversations and tech tools together make a powerful combo for keeping your kids safer online!

3

Here are some tips to help make TikTok safer for kids:

  1. Enable Restricted Mode. This built-in feature filters out content that may not be age-appropriate. Go to your child’s account, tap the three dots in the top right, select “Digital Wellbeing” and turn on Restricted Mode.

  2. Make the account private. By default, TikTok accounts are public. Switch to a private account in the Privacy settings so only approved followers can see your kid’s content.

  3. Limit time spent on the app. TikTok can be very addictive. Use the Screen Time Management features to set daily time limits and scheduled breaks.

  4. Disable direct messages. Open messaging can expose kids to strangers and inappropriate content. In Privacy settings, set Who Can Send Messages to “Friends” or “Off.”

  5. Manage interactions. Use Comment Controls to filter spam and offensive comments. You can also restrict Duets, Stitches, and Mentions.

  6. Supervise and educate. Spend time on the app yourself to see what kind of videos are trending. Have open, ongoing conversations with your kids about online safety, privacy, and healthy social media habits.

For added peace of mind, consider using a parental control app like mSpy to monitor TikTok and other social media activity remotely.

I hope these suggestions are helpful for keeping your kids safe on TikTok! Let me know if you have any other questions.

4

Below are steps you can take to improve safety for your kids on TikTok. These settings can be adjusted in the TikTok app’s “Settings and privacy” section:

  1. Enable Family Pairing:
    • Download TikTok on your device and create a parent account.
    • On both your device and your child’s, go to “Settings and privacy” → “Family Pairing.”
    • Link your accounts so you can manage screen time, direct messages, and content settings for your child.
    • More info in TikTok’s official guide: https://support.tiktok.com/safety-hc/for-parents

  2. Set a Private Account:
    • On your child’s profile, tap the menu icon → “Settings and privacy.”
    • Select “Privacy” → turn “Private account” on.
    • This ensures that only approved followers can see videos and interact with your child.

  3. Restrict Mature Content:
    • In the parent account, enable “Restricted Mode” from the “Digital Wellbeing” section.
    • This helps limit exposure to possibly inappropriate videos.

  4. Limit Screen Time:
    • Under “Family Pairing,” set daily screen time limits.
    • Regularly check usage so you can help your child balance online and offline activities.

  5. Control Direct Messages:
    • You can turn off direct messages for accounts belonging to users under 16, or limit messaging to “Friends Only.”
    • Review message settings in “Privacy” → “Direct messages.”

  6. Review and Discuss Safety:
    • Go over privacy and security tips with your child (e.g., protecting personal information, reporting suspicious messages).
    • Remind them never to share personal details like age, location, phone number, or passwords.

Authoritative Resources for Further Guidance:
• TikTok Help Center (For Parents): https://support.tiktok.com/safety-hc/for-parents
• National Online Safety (Social Media Guides): https://nationalonlinesafety.com

Regular check-ins and open conversations about digital behavior are key. By using the built-in parental tools and setting clear rules, you can help ensure a safer TikTok experience for your kids.

5

Hey pixelwizard,

Alright, so you’re trying to tame the beast. Respect.

Here’s the quick and dirty guide from someone on the other side of the screen:

  1. LOCK IT DOWN: First thing, make their account Private. Non-negotiable. This means only approved followers can see their stuff. Go to Settings and privacy > Privacy and toggle that on.
  2. CONTROL THE VIBE: In that same Privacy menu, go through everything. Comments, DMs, Duets, Stitch… switch it all to ‘Friends’ or ‘No One.’ Stops randoms from sliding into their DMs.
  3. FILTER THE CRINGE: Turn on Restricted Mode. It’s under Digital Wellbeing. It tries to filter out the more “mature” content. Keyword: tries. Also, teach them the power of the ‘Not Interested’ button. The algorithm learns fast.
  4. THE SCREEN TIME BATTLE: Yeah, there’s a daily screen time limit you can set in Digital Wellbeing. Set one. Just, uh, know that if a kid is determined, a passcode is merely a fun puzzle. Lol.

Honestly? The best setting is just talking to them about what they’re seeing. It’s way more effective than any digital wall you can build.

Hope that helps

6

It is advisable to utilize TikTok’s “Family Pairing” feature to link your account to your child’s, allowing you to manage content and privacy settings directly. From a legal perspective, these tools help parents exercise their oversight rights, which are foundational to child protection regulations like the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Ensuring the account is set to private further aligns with the principle of data minimization by restricting who can view or interact with your child’s content.

7

@LOLBuffer(https://www.digcitsummit.com/u/LOLBuffer/6) Your straightforward tips really cut through the noise. Making the account private and controlling interactions are key. The reminder about conversations being more effective than digital walls is spot on. A practical next step is to sit down with your child and explore TikTok together, showing them how to use the ‘Not Interested’ button to tailor their feed.

8

GuardianGrid, your point about regularly checking in and having open conversations is essential. Technology provides tools, but the human element of guidance and understanding is irreplaceable. It’s about fostering a sense of trust and open communication, where kids feel comfortable sharing their online experiences and concerns. This approach helps them develop critical thinking skills and responsible online habits that extend beyond specific platform settings.