Is TikTok Safe for Kids? What Every Parent Needs to Know

Have you recently seen teenagers and kids? They are all busy making videos and turning them into "cute" reels and TikTok videos. While it all looks great on the surface, parents need to be vigilant.

That's because TikTok is a social media platform that has millions of user-generated videos. Your kids can easily make and upload videos. In addition, they can interact with others' videos. During this interaction, the kids might be exposed to inappropriate and obscene content. Such content can hamper their mental development.

So, if you are wondering, "Is TikTok bad for kids?" we would say yes. However, the answer isn't this simple, which is why we are sharing some other details as well.

Part 1. TikTok and Kids: How Safe Is It Really?

TikTok isn't thought to be 100% safe for kids, but they like it because it lets them express themselves in creative ways. They can make videos about anything, from exercise and sports to cooking and how-tos for do-it-yourself projects. However, TikTok needs an adult to watch over it and a secret account for these reasons;

Inappropriate user-generated content with offensive words and actions is common for kids to see, even after the content has been filtered.
TikTok has a business side to it, and kids can get prize points for getting their friends to download the app. You can trade these points in for freebies from different brands. This commercial aspect could encourage kids to spend more time on the app than is healthy.
People from other places are always trying to connect with kids on TikTok, which could be dangerous.
Like any social media platform, TikTok can be addictive. The risk of excessive screen time is a concern, especially given the app's engaging content and interactive features.
As with any online space, there's a risk of cyberbullying on TikTok. Inappropriate comments or negative interactions can have serious impacts on a child's mental health.

Part 2. How Old Should Kids Be for TikTok?

This app only lets kids smaller than 13 use the part that is made for them. TikTok's terms and conditions say that you have to be at least 13 years old to use the app. But younger kids can get to a version of the app that isn't open to everyone. For people of different ages, these are the rules;

If Kids Are Younger than 13 Years Old

Kids younger than 13 can only use the part of the app that is made for younger kids. This part of the site has extra safety, privacy, and age restrictions that let them watch content that is acceptable for their age, but they can't post, search, or comment on any videos there.

If Kids Are Aged 13 to 15 Years Old

They have set their accounts to be private so that only their friends can see and interact with their movies. The function that tells other people about their accounts has also been turned off. Also, TikTok's new update stops users in this age group from getting alerts after 9 pm.

If Kids Are Aged over 16 Years Old

For kids over 16 years old, the live entertainment stream and direct texting work. However, users ages 16 to 17 will not get alerts after 10 pm. Users who are at least 18 years old can buy, send, and receive virtual gifts.

Part 3. What Impact TikTok May Have On Children's Mental Health

TikTok is a fun way to meet new people and give your child an artistic outlet, but it can also be bad for them. If your child regularly posts videos and pictures on TikTok or any other social media site, they could get mean comments and replies.

This could really hurt your child's confidence, self-esteem, and view of their body. It can sometimes cause sadness, anxiety, and even eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.

Even though those are extreme cases, young users and even influential people on the site have talked about how the mean comments they get affect their daily lives.

Part 4. Are There Parental Controls on TikTok?

Parents and other adults who watch kids can control their TikTok accounts in a few different ways. You can set time limits and a content filter on your child's phone, and you can use a PIN to keep the settings safe. You can also download TikTok, make an account, and use the Family Pairing tool on your phone to control your child's TikTok settings. This is a perfect option for parents who ask, "How to make TikTok kid-friendly?"

Also, remember that if you pick Family Pairing, you'll need your child's phone to sync the settings. To set screen limits and filter material on your child's phone, follow these steps:

In the app, go to your child's TikTok account and tap the three dots in the upper right corner of their picture.

After that, click on "Digital Wellbeing," which looks like an umbrella. After that, pick the tools you want to turn on.

Screen Time Management

This setting tells the app how long users can spend in it each day. Pick a PIN to protect this setting if you're only letting your child use it on their phone.

Restricted Mode

This blocks adult material, but kids who use the app by themselves might still find videos that aren't appropriate for their age. Set the lock to a secret code.

Family Pairing

Press and hold the three dots next to the user's name on both phones. Then, go to Family Pairing and use the QR code to connect your account to your child's.

Remember that kids can always re-download TikTok and make a new account with a different email address or phone number, so the limits you put in place might not work every time. At this point, we are sure you know why TikTok is bad for kids and why vigilance is important.

Part 5. Does TikTok Store Data?

Yes, and there's nothing new about this because all social media apps do it. But parents should be reminded of it. Before their most recent update, the app would take information from your phone's clipboard even when you weren't using it. This meant that TikTok would record and store private information like passwords and private chats if you or your child copied and pasted them.

It's possible that TikTok is still keeping your child's information. To make sure, make sure that your phone's security settings are up to date and that you have the most recent operating system. So, the answer to your question, "Should kids have TikTok?" is yes if you can keep an eye on them.

Part 6. The Importance of Monitoring Your Kids' Online Activity

Now that you know the answer to "Is TikTok good for kids?" you need to keep an eye on kids. You've to watch what your child does. Even if you trust your child a lot, you should still keep an eye on what they do on TikTok. That doesn't mean you don't care about people's privacy. It just means that as a parent, you should know about any problems before they get worse.

If you don't have messaging turned off, you should check the messages because scammers may try to use direct messaging to target kids who aren't paying attention. Young users under 16 can't send direct messages on TikTok, but there are ways to get around that. For example, your child could give a fake date of birth.

If you have little kids, let them help you scroll through social media. Setting a good example helps them learn what videos are okay to watch and how to behave online. They'll know how to be nice to others and read the signs, like content you don't like, to stay away from it.

Part 7. AirDroid Parental Control: Your Ally in Staying Online Safety

Using parental control tools is one of the best ways to keep an eye on what your child does on TikTok. This way, you won't have to keep an eye on them as much, and your kids will feel safe knowing that you aren't watching them. For this purpose, we recommend using AirDroid Parental Control because it has a keyword detection feature.

Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari are the most popular web browsers. However, there are several other options like Microsoft Edge, Opera, Brave, etc. You can help your children maintain healthy use of the internet by keeping watchful eyes on them.

With this feature, if any suspicious content is detected, AirDroid Parental Control. will send you a notification. It sends a notification with the keywords, sources, and details of the content. In addition to this, you can use the following features for their safety;

Besides, AirDroid Parental Control supports:

Screen Time Management: You can set a daily time limit for how long your child can use TikTok.
App Limit: You can limit TikTok screen time or other specific apps from being used on your child's device.
Keyword Monitor: You can customize keywords to monitor on TikTok and get alerts if the keywords are triggered.
Screen Mirror: You can remotely mirror your child's Android phone and view their screen in real-time.

Final Thoughts

At this point, you must be pretty clear on how safe TikTok is for kids, so it's important to pay attention to their online activities. TikTok is a fine app, but there might be inappropriate content, so you've to supervise them. Also, don't forget to set a good example by watching good videos with them so they know what types of videos are acceptable.

FAQs about Whether TikTok Content Is Safe for Children

Is TikTok Safe for My 10-Year-Old Kid?

Elsa

TikTok has mentioned the minimum age to be 13 years old, which is why it's better that 10-year-old kids don't sign up.

Is There a Way to Make TikTok Safe for My Kids?

Elsa

You can use the Restricted Mode and Family Pairing to keep your kids secure. This will ensure that you can keep an eye on what content they are consuming.

Is There 18+ Content on TikToK?

Elsa

There is a variety of content available on TikTok. However, TikTok has automated filters that automatically remove the overly mature content. Still, it's better to keep an eye on kids because these filters might miss a video or two.

Are There Any Benefits of TikTok for Kids?

Elsa

Yes, if they are watching educational content, there is nothing wrong. To ensure that they have access to positive content only, you can set up filters.