What age is TikTok recommended for? Common Sense recommends the app for age 15+ mainly due to the privacy issues and mature content. TikTok requires that users be at least 13 years old to use the basic TikTok features, although there is a way for younger kids to access the app.
There's a TikTok alternative for younger kids
A “younger user” section of the app allows kids under 13 in on some of the fun. Younger kids can only access videos that have been curated by TikTok's algorithm for a younger audience, and there are even more limitations when it comes to the videos they create.
You have to enter your birth date to set up an account, but there's no age verification, so it's easy for kids under 13 to sign up. Common Sense Media rates Snapchat OK for teens 16 and up, mainly because of the exposure to age-inappropriate content and the marketing ploys, such as quizzes, that collect data.
TikTok has a 12+ rating in the Apple App Store and is listed as “Parental Guidance Recommended” in Google's Play Store.
13 is the minimum age according to TikTok's terms and conditions.
“Ten to 12 is a great range because kids are still very connected to their parents and into their parents being in their phone and in their business,” says Catherine Pearlman, a licensed clinical social worker and author of “First Phone,” a guide for kids.
Major social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, require users to be at least 13. This includes those in Australia and New Zealand.
Jean Twenge, our nation's leading researcher on how social media impacts child and adolescent development, recommends that no child under 13 should be on any social media, including TikTok. And I would add that many 13-year-olds aren't ready. TikTok offers a curated version of their app for under-13s. Don't use it.
Experts suggest that you should wait to get your kid a smartphone until at least 8th grade. Along with age, a kid's social awareness, understanding of technology, and maturity should be considered.
How old should kids be to use Instagram? According to the terms of service, you have to be 13, but there's no age-verification process, so it's very easy for kids under 13 to sign up. Common Sense rates Instagram for age 15 and up because of mature content, access to strangers, marketing ploys, and data collection.
Typically, it's best for children under 13 not to engage in romantic relationships as they are still developing emotionally and cognitively. Healthy friendships are encouraged for teenagers between 13 and 15, but romantic relationships could be too much for them to handle.
Is Instagram or Snapchat safer for children? Although both Instagram and Snapchat have some robust parental control features, we chose Instagram as the better option for online safety. Here's why: Instagram has parental control features where you can supervise your child's account, including who follows your child.
This offers a passcode-enabled screen time management system, as well as a restricted mode to limit the appearance of inappropriate content. It's also important to remember that the app is meant for kids who are 13 or older.
TikTok can be a creative, social outlet
Kids like to get together with friends to make TikTok videos. “TikTok can be really fun. Some videos are lighthearted and cute, and can be a source of creativity for kids,” says Christine Elgersma, senior editor of parent education at Common Sense Media.
Eagar advises not allowing single dating before age sixteen. “There's an enormous difference between a fourteen- or fifteen-year- old and a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old in terms of life experience,” he says. You might add or subtract a year depending on how mature and responsible your youngster is.
Yousuf said pediatricians generally recommend the following guidelines: Under 2 years old: Zero screen time, except for video chatting with family or friends. 2-5 years old: No more than one hour per day co-viewing with a parent or sibling. 5-17 years old: Generally no more than two hours per day, except for homework.
WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS ABOUT TIKTOK? Both the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission have warned that ByteDance could share TikTok user data — such as browsing history, location and biometric identifiers — with China's authoritarian government.
It's because the platform promotes interactions among people, helping create a bond—a community. This bond is further strengthened when TikTok influencers create physical events where people gather and interact. In this way, TikTok helps create one big happy family that you can become a part of and enjoy.
You can turn your Profile view history on or off in your privacy settings or on your Profile views page. Turning off profile view history means you will not be able to see who has viewed your profile, and others would not be able to see that you've viewed theirs too.
TikTok, formerly known as Musical.ly, had substantial growth in active Australian teen users, increasing from 12% in 2017 to 38% in 2020. Discord, established in 2015, was used by 19% of Australian teens in 2020.
For people in our under 13 experience, the daily screen time limit will also be set to 60 minutes, and a parent or guardian will need to set or enter an existing passcode to enable 30 minutes of additional watch time.
If someone manually sets up TikTok's Restricted Mode, this helps block inappropriate videos that someone doesn't want to see. But the age-restricted message might also show up even if you've never used Restricted Mode — preventing you from seeing videos you want to watch.