Tik Tok has taken the world by storm, with millions of young people flocking to the app to create and share short-form videos. While there are many fun and creative aspects of Tik Tok, parents understandably worry about what their children might be exposed to on the app. From inappropriate content to stranger danger, there are many online risks that parents need to be aware of. Fortunately, Tik Tok has built-in parental controls that can help keep your kids safe. In this post, we’ll guide you through how to set up parental controls for TikTok, and give you some tips for using the app responsibly.
Step 1: Set Up a Restricted Mode
The first thing you’ll want to do when setting up Tik Tok parental controls is to enable Restricted Mode. This filters out content that may not be appropriate for all audiences, such as videos containing violence or explicit language. To enable Restricted Mode, go to your child’s profile, click on the three dots in the top right corner, and select Privacy and Safety. From there, select Restricted Mode and enter your passcode.
Step 2: Filter Out Inappropriate Hashtags
Another way to ensure that your child only sees appropriate content on Tik Tok is to filter out certain hashtags. You can do this by going to the same Privacy and Safety settings and selecting Filtered Content. In this section, you can enter specific keywords or hashtags that you want to block, such as #NSFW or #drugs. This will prevent your child from seeing any content that includes these keywords.
Step 3: Keep Accounts Private
One of the easiest ways to keep your child safe on Tik Tok is to make sure their account is set to private. This means that only people whom they have approved as followers can see their videos and profile information. To set your child’s account to private, go to the Privacy and Safety section and toggle on the setting labeled “Private Account”.
Step 4: Set Screen Time Limits
While Tik Tok can be a fun and entertaining app, it’s important to set reasonable screen time limits for your child. This will help ensure that they don’t become too obsessed with the app and neglect other important aspects of their life, such as school and socializing with friends. On your child’s device, go to the Screen Time settings and select Tik Tok. From there, you can set daily time limits for the app.
Step 5: Talk to Your Child about Online Safety
Lastly, the most important thing you can do to keep your child safe on Tik Tok is to have an open and honest conversation with them about online safety. Let them know what you expect of them when using the app, such as avoiding sharing personal information or engaging with strangers. Encourage them to come to you if they ever feel uncomfortable or witness any inappropriate behavior on the app.
Conclusion
We strongly advise against letting your child have TikTok; however, if you decide to allow it, we encourage the use of parental controls. TikTok’s parental controls, coupled with open communication with your child, can help ensure their safety while using the app. It’s crucial to start conversations about online safety early, empowering them to make smart choices.
