While TikTok's official age limit is 13, its algorithm can expose 11-year-olds to mature content, making it risky, though parental controls like Family Pairing, Restricted Mode, and private accounts can help manage risks, but require constant supervision and open communication about online safety. Many experts suggest waiting until at least 13 for social media, so for an 11-year-old, a conversation about risks versus benefits and implementing strict controls is crucial if you allow it, or delaying access until older.
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.
The TikTok 3-second rule is a content strategy emphasizing that you must hook a viewer within the first three seconds of a video to prevent them from scrolling away, significantly impacting watch time, completion rates, and algorithmic favorability for the For You Page (FYP). This rule highlights the need for immediate visual impact, strong curiosity gaps (questions/mysteries), fast cuts, emotional triggers, or bold text to stop the scroll and signal video quality to the algorithm, though some suggest the attention span is shrinking to even one second.
Key measures under the new law
Age-restricted social media platforms need to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 years old from having accounts on their platforms.
However, for people under 13 years old in the U.S., we have a separate TikTok experience specifically designed for younger people. Important things to know about this experience: All accounts are private. Videos can be created but not posted.
We'd only recommend CapCut for older kids —about 12 and up — if it's not connected to a TikTok account. But we encourage parents to consider the potential dangers beforehand and talk to their kids about how to post responsibly.
You can customise your teen's content with parental controls on TikTok through Family Pairing. This includes filtering keywords, using the STEM feed feature and turning on Restricted Mode. Teens can customise certain content in their app as well.
You may be aware of recent developments regarding the use of TikTok on government devices. The Australian Government moved to ban the use of TikTok on 4 April 2023 as a result of consultation with its key intelligence and security agencies.
With FamilyTime, monitor your kids' TikTok experience and decide content they may watch without pairing the TikTok app. FamilyTime allows you to: Monitor the list of the channels that your kids visit on a certain day. Check the video history to see the film's metadata and what your children have watched.
TikTok accounts are available for people at least 13 years old (or other ages as indicated in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service). If you're located in the U.S. and have a child under 13 years old, you can learn more about how they may create an account to access a TikTok experience specifically designed for them.
Dangerous individuals or organizations cannot use the platform to promote terrorism, crime, or other types of behavior that could cause harm. Content that promotes criminal activities like assaulting or kidnapping. Content that risks the safety of others, including pranks like swatting.
TikTok doesn't pay per view. Instead, it pays per 1,000 views. TikTok pays between $0.02 - $0.04 per 1000 views for a creator's video via the “TikTok Creators Fund.” TikTok has been actively launching programs to boost the earnings of the creators and influencers on TikTok.
It lets you set a daily screen time limit so that you get notified when you reach that time on TikTok. You can turn this setting on and off at any time. You can also view your screen time summary in your activity center. Note: If you're between the ages of 13 and 17, the setting is turned on by default to 1 hour.
Family Centre also doesn't allow any control over content on Discover, leaving teens open to content which is often inappropriate. Interestingly, while the app itself is 13+, Common Sense Media rates Snapchat as suitable for teens 16 and up, largely due to the exposure to age-inappropriate content and data collection.
Demographics of TikTok Users
TikTok has gained immense popularity among teenagers, making it a dominant force in teen culture. The app has resonated with young people due to its dynamic and interactive nature, allowing them to express their creativity and connect with peers.
Coverstar is a kid-friendly alternative to TikTok that lets children create and share music videos, dances, and lip-syncs in a safe, positive environment. It features strong content moderation and limited social interaction to protect younger users from inappropriate content and online risks.
Create a shared family TikTok account. Allow your child to use the app under your supervision. Customize their account. You can change your child's account to private, sync her account to your own and block mature content.
Remember to have ongoing open conversations with your kids about the content they're consuming when on TikTok and encourage them to come to you when/if they're seeing content that is harmful or inappropriate. Stay safe in this digital world. Be creative.
Governments around the world have flagged the app as a security risk over concerns about its data collection practices. In Australia, along with the UK and several European Union institutions, government employees are prohibited from installing TikTok on government-owned devices.
Here are some TikTok alternatives on the market right now.
India: Among the first to issue a full ban, citing national security. Afghanistan: The ban remains, enforced due to moral concerns. China: Ironically, TikTok itself is unavailable in China—only Douyin is permitted. Nepal & Albania: Both enforced full bans due to cultural and safety reasons.
TikTok requires its users to be at least 13 years old. Despite users having to be aged 13 and up the age ratings for TikTok are, a little confusingly, 12+ on Apple's App Store and "Parental Guidance Recommended" on the Google Play Store.
For younger children, parents may want to use technological parental controls to limit screen time and block age-inappropriate content. For older children and teens, it is important for parents to be frank and honest with their children about the inherent privacy and other risks associated with social media.”
Approximately 56.1% of TikTok users identify as female, compared to 43.9% male. Notably, a significant portion of users falls within younger age groups: about 36.2% of users are aged 18-24, with another 34% aged 25-34. Furthermore, around 25% of TikTok users are under 20 years old.