TikTok accounts of underage users become “private”. It is one of the new features, launched at the beginning of 2021 by TikTok which concerns all profiles registered to users between the ages of 13 and 15.
Further changes concern the restrictions on who can comment on videos created by users aged 13 to 15 who can now choose between ‘Friends’ or ‘Nobody’, while the ‘Everyone’ option has been removed.
There have also been changes to video settings Duets and of the function Stitch so as to make them available only for content created by users aged 16 or over. For users between 16 and 17 years oldthe default setting of these functions is now on “Friends”.
Ability to download only videos created by users over 16 years old. Other users can decide whether to allow their videos to be downloaded; while, for those between 16 and 17 years, the setting is deactivated by default, but they can decide to activate it.
Default setting to ‘Off’ of the ‘Recommend your account to others’ option for users between the ages of 13 and 15.
Only approved followers will be able to see the content
With the new features introduced, only approved followers will be able to see the content of users under the age of 16. The news is part of a broader package of measures implemented to promote higher standards in terms of user privacy and security.
“Our community’s privacy rights and online safety are a top priority for TikTok, and especially when it comes to our youngest users, which is why we’re making these significant changes,” said Elaine Fox, cead of privacy. TikTok EMEA – We want to encourage the younger section of our community to become actively engaged in their own online privacy journey, and by doing so early on, we hope to inspire them to take an active role and make informed decisions about the issue.”
“The innovations announced today represent another step in our mission to ensure that TikTok remains a safe platform for all our users,” said Alexandra Evans, head of Child safety, Europe. The changes build on additional changes previously made to promote child safety, including limiting direct messaging and live streams for accounts of children under 16.”
Parents and guardians can set up protective barriers
“Added to these is the ability for parents and guardians to set up protective barriers for their children’s TikTok accounts via family linking – he stressed -. We know that there is no final goal when it comes to child safety, and that’s why we’re constantly improving our policies, investing in technology and our moderation teams, so that TikTok remains a safe place for all of our users to express their creativity.”
The changes announced today come in addition to previous security and privacy changes, such as: Restricting direct messages and the ability to host live streams to adults over 16; limiting the purchase, sending and receiving of virtual gifts to users over the age of 18.