Ultimate Guide to TikTok Parental Control: Keeping Your Kids Safe

Social media apps are fun to pass the time and communicate. But create challenges for parents in raising their children and developing character. TikTok is at the top of the list of apps you should worry about for your children. That’s why parents need to have a complete check on their kids to ensure the supervised usage of this app; this article will provide a complete Tiktok parental control guide to help parents relax in case their kids are spending some time on this application.

Your child wants a cellphone in every case. Also, your child consumes TikTok because every other child is doing the same.

TikTok is addictive in design and nature as well as may waste time in the long run.

After installing TikTok, your child can:

• Spend hours scrolling through the feed (Wasting ample time)
• Exhaust mentally, leaving no energy for after-school studies
• Have sleep disorders due to extensive screen time
• Influenced by suggestions in TikTok videos (Destroying values that you want to teach)
• Consume inappropriate, explicit, mature and sexual content
• Engage with strangers who have malicious intents
• Exchange photos and videos with predators
• Become indoctrinated with some specific ideology, cult or organization

You may be thinking: Why should not I remove my child from a cellphone or ground them for using TikTok? Is TikTok Safe for Kids? Are there parental controls for TikTok?

Yes, you are a caring parent.

But banning your child from cellphones or TikTok… will never be a good decision, rather a harsh one.

Yes, TikTok is safe for Kids if you use parental settings on TikTok. You can manage and control TikTok’s time and engagement by using setting controls on TikTok.

• TikTok consumption will be under a limit
• You can filter content and users
• You can block content and users
• Your kids’ engagements on TikTok will be under your control

So, setting parental control on your kid’s TikTok is the need of time.

Find out how to apply parental controls to TikTok below.

What is TikTok?

You may be hearing about the word “TikTok” from the young generation.

Maybe you are using TikTok.

Yet, it’s still fruitful to know what exactly “TikTok” is in concise detail.

Well, TikTok is a popular social media app—bit size version of YouTube—that allows users to:

• Upload videos from 5 seconds to 120 seconds
• Lypsynchronise videos with famous songs
• Like videos
• Comment on videos
• Share videos from TikTok to many social media and digital options
• Direct message friends and people who have set their profiles public

TikTok allows users to create unlimited types of content in the least time. You can press the plus sign on TikTok and start creating content.

And press the TikTok icon on your cellphone and start consuming videos. TikTok’s algorithm puts videos in your feed according to your interests, preferences, and demography.

That’s why over two billion people have downloaded the app.

And TikTok’s traffic has surpassed Google’s last year.

If you are more cautious about parental control, read everything about some good applications for parental control.

Does TikTok Have Parental Controls?

Yes, TikTok has tools and features to limit:

• Usage
• Engagement
• Content
• Access

By using parental control for TikTok, you can:

• Control time spent by your child on TikTok
• Reduce mature content (Restricted Mode)
• Have complete control over TikTok’s settings (Family Safety Mode)
• Limit the engagement of your child (Private Mode)

Age Restriction on TikTok?

The age to use TikTok with complete features is over 18.

But TikTok does not verify the age by any outside means—it takes the word of the user and presents the curated content.

Yes, users can lie to TikTok and falsify their age while setting up an account. That’s the loophole where kids get to access mature content.

By default, TikTok:

• Does not allow persons under the age of 13 to post content or comment on videos. Also, such users can only view special, curated content according to their age.
• Allows users from 13 to 15 years of age to post content. But their account is private, which means only friends can engage. Also, other users do not have the option to duet on videos or stitch videos of these young users from the age of 13 to 15.
• Allows users from 16 to 18 years of age to post content, live stream, and use direct messaging. However, TikTok does not allow these users to have monetary options or virtual gifts exchange.
• Provides users over 18 all access to features, conveniences, monetary options and virtual gift exchange.

Is TikTok safe for Kids/Teens? (Risks Associated) What Should Parents Know and Worry?

You must know what your child is getting into by installing TikTok.

Yes, TikTok is fun.

TikTok is great for creativity.

TikTok helps your child to know the world. But some risks compel every parent to set parental control for TikTok.

Here’s everything that you need to know.

1. Inappropriate Content

TikTok does not use human monitoring of every content.

Instead, it uses an algorithm to filter:

• Sexual content
• Illegal content
• Violence-related content
• Hate-oriented content

Yet, TikTok’s algorithm is not perfect.

Mature content can slip into your child’s feed.

And 15 seconds of wrong exposure can destroy your kid’s psychology and values.

Here, you may ask:

Can you block inappropriate content on TikTok?

Yes, you can only with parental controls for TikTok?

2. Engagement with Strangers

Over 2 billion people are on TikTok.

It is a massive number of strangers who can contact your child.

If your child has made their profile public, there is a risk.

People with predatory psychology target children to:

• Satisfy their lust
• Complete their malicious intents
• Find targets for kidnapping
• Compel children to create inappropriate videos

You can’t have peace of mind without control over your child’s TikTok.

3. Cyberbullying

People can comment whatever they want on your child’s videos.

They can:

• Body shame your child
• Seduce your child
• Hurt your child

In short, cyberbullying is intensive on TikTok.

And if your child has an adult account, your child will have to face it.

That’s why setting parental controls on TikTok can save your child.

It’s because you can turn off commenting and private messaging by using parental control.

4. Data Privacy

Your data is under the control of TikTok.

TikTok can use it any way it needs to be.

Also, anyone can download your child’s videos and use them in any way they want.

Moreover, other users can use two options on your child’s videos.

The first option is a duet which allows users to use your child’s video with their creation.

The second option is stitching, which allows users to use half of any user’s video and attach their video.

In this way, anyone can use your child’s content for any purpose.

If your child has a usual account, people with malicious intent can use your child’s persona.

Read more about data privacy and app security.

Set up parental Control on TikTok:

Setting parental controls on TikTok may take some struggle.

And you may not know everything right now.

Here’s everything that you must do to protect your child.

1. Family Pairing

TikTok added a family pairing mode recently, and it has enhanced privacy control measures for parents.

Parents and children need to have separate TikTok accounts to enable family pairing.

Parents can control the privacy settings of children’s TikTok by enabling family pairing.

Family pairing is password protected, which means children can’t change privacy settings without a passcode.

To enable family pairing:

• Open your user profile
• Press the three-dot button
• Find “Digital Wellbeing” by scrolling down
• Now, tap on “Family pairing”
• You’ll see a “QR Code”
• Scan the “QR Code” from your child’s phone
• Now, you have access to the security features of your child’s TikTok

2. Control Screen Time

Family pairing gives you the power to limit screen time on TikTok.

It’s the first thing that you should do.

Otherwise, your child will consume TikTok for hours.

Here’s how you can limit and adjust screen time.

• Open the TikTok app on your kid’s device
• Open the profile and press the three-dot button
• Tap on “Digital Wellbeing.”
• Choose “Screen Time Management”
• Turn on the “Red” button
• Choose a passcode

The above steps also help you turn off “Screen Time Management.”

3. Restrict Direct Messages

Direct messages from strangers are the tools that can hurt your child.

You can restrict direct messages completely.

Also, you can allow specific people to have direct messaging access to your child’s account.

Here’s how you can restrict direct messages.

• Open the TikTok app on your child’s phone
• Open settings by pressing the three-dot button on the profile
• Tap on “Privacy &Settings”
• Choose who can send messages
• You have three options: Everyone, Friends, and Off

4. Activate Restricted Mode

A parent’s concern is to know “how to block videos on TikTok?” So, you can ensure clean content according to your values for your child.

You can prohibit TikTok from showing inappropriate content on your child’s phone by using “Restricted Mode.”

Here’s how you can do it.

• Open the TikTok app on your child’s phone
• Open settings by pressing the three-dot button on the profile
• Tap on “Digital Wellbeing”
• Choose “Restricted Mode”
• Select “Turn on Restricted Mode”
• Type the passcode and confirm it

5. Manage Interactions

By using parental control for TikTok, you can adjust many features to ensure your child’s safety. Here’s everything you can do to have strict privacy for your child.

6. Keep Account Private (How to Set up Private Account?)

By default, every account is private under 16.

Private accounts are only available to friends and approved followers.

Here’s how you can do it.

• Press the three-button on the profile
• Go to “Settings”
• Tap on “Privacy”
• Chose “Privacy Account”

7. Limit the Amount of Data

You can restrict TikTok from using your child’s data.

In this way, you can enhance the privacy of your child.

Your child will never see targeted ads.

Here’s how you can do it.

• Open TikTok
• Press the three-dot button on the profile
• Tap on “Privacy & Safety”
• Tap on “Personalisation & Data”
• Turn off “Personalised Ads”

8. Liked Videos

People can guess a lot about your child by viewing “Liked Videos.”

You can restrict TikTok users from that by using these steps.

• Open TikTok
• Press the three-dot button on the profile
• Tap on “Privacy & Safety”
• Tap on “Safety”
• Turn off who can view your liked videos

9. Comments (How to Turn Off Comments/Manage Comments)

Comments are the tools for cyberbullying.

You turn comments off or manage them by using these steps.

• Open TikTok
• Press the three-dot button on the profile
• Tap on “Privacy & Safety”
• Tap on “Safety”
• Turn off “Comments” or allow who can comment on your videos

10. Prevent People from Creating Duet Videos with Your Child

TikTok users can use a child’s persona by using the “Duet” feature.

Here’s how you can turn it off.

• Open TikTok
• Press the three-dot button on the profile
• Tap on “Privacy & Safety”
• Choose “Who can duet with your videos”
• You will have two options: “Friends & Only me”
• The “Only me” option will restrict all TikTok users from duets on your videos

11. Suggest Account to Others

Normal privacy settings will automatically allow other users to suggest your child’s account to other users.

That’s why you must limit discoverability.

Here’s how you can do it.

• Open TikTok
• Press the three-dot button on the profile
• Tap on “Privacy & Safety”
• Tap on “Discoverability”
• Toggle off “Suggest account to others”

12. Turn Off Search

TikTok’s algorithm will show your child’s account in searches and allow people to follow.

Here’s how you can turn off the search.

• Open TikTok
• Press the three-dot button on the profile
• Tap on “Privacy & Safety”
• Turn off “Allow others to find me”

How to Block and Report on TikTok?

TikTok’s policing is both human-based and machine-based.

And it removes content and users that violate TikTok community guidelines.

You can report users and content in case of any violation.

Here’s how you can do it.

• You have the freedom to block any user due to any reason. For that, tap on the user’s profile. Press the three-dot button. Next, choose “Block.” Blocked users get removed from your followers’ list and become unable to like and comment on your videos, along with direct messages.
• You can report a profile. For that, tap on the user’s profile. Press the three-dot button. Tap on “Report.”
• To report a video, press on the video for a few seconds. Next, tap on “Report.”
• You can report a comment by pressing on the comment for a few seconds. Next, tap on “Report.”
• To report a message, press the tap icon at the top right corner. Next, tap on “Report.”

A Better Way—Discuss Digital Safety with Your Children (Effective Way to Counter Cyberbullying)

Taking safety measures for your child’s safety is the right thing to do.

Enabling parental control for TikTok is the best choice.

Yet, educating your child about the dangers of the online world is essential. Take time and sit with your child.

Have a deep conversation about digital safety. Teach them to be aware every second and how to handle impulses.

It is the only way you can ensure the safety of your child and counter cyberbullying and other dangers.

Also, if your kid uses Snapchat, you need to go through Snapchat’s parental control guide.

Have a great day.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I Monitor My kid’s Activity from the TikTok Parental Controls Dashboard?

You can set up restrictions. But you can’t monitor your kid’s activity on TikTok.

2. Does TikTok have a Kid Mode?

By setting up the right age for your kid on the TikTok app, your kid will view curated content according to age. There will never be mature content. TikTok’s algorithm caters to kids if they have truthfully entered the age.

3. Does TikTok Have An Age Limit?

Yes, TikTok has an age limit. Only viewers over 18 can consume all kinds of content and features.