sixteen, using fake information to gain access
to the viral app, which has proven popular
in schools around the world. Many parents
have expressed their concerns about the
inappropriate language used by rival content
creators, who have to “push the boundaries”
by partaking in increasingly dangerous
and provocative challenges in order to stay
relevant and drive their revenues. It’s similar to
challenges faced by companies like YouTube,
but Google has made significant progress in
restricting inappropriate content, introducing
the YouTube Kids app in response.
Another concern from parents is that TikTok is
being used by predators who want to connect
with children. Though the app has strict
guidelines on sending inappropriate, explicit
content, the truth is that there’s nothing
stopping a predator from asking a child to
make contact with them on other apps, like
Kik or WhatsApp. This has lead to many senior
figures and privacy experts condemning TikTok,
saying it’s a “pedophile magnet and not safe
for children.”
The good news, however, is that TikTok has
made some progress towards these challenges,
releasing a number of features designed for
parents. As part of the company’s commitment
to providing users with the resources they need
to have the best experience, they introduced
a private account feature and earlier this
year launched Family Pairing to protect
youngsters. Back in February, Family Safety
Mode was launched, which requires adults to
create their own account and link it to their
teen’s to control how long they can spend insideImage: Imogen Wilson