TikTok adds feature to limit usage time for minors

(Dan Tri) - TikTok will add a new feature to limit users under 16 years old from viewing the app after 10 pm, while allowing parents to monitor who their children are following and decide when to stop the app.

TikTok has just announced that it will add a series of new features to protect users under 16 years old, notably the feature that restricts this group of users from watching videos on TikTok after 10 pm.

Accordingly, if children under 16 years old continue to surf content on TikTok after 10 pm, the application will display the message "Time to go to bed" on the full screen to obscure all video content being shown, accompanied by soothing music.

TikTok will display a series of notification dialogs, accompanied by soothing music, to advise users under 16 to go to bed early (Photo: TikTok).

If the user ignores the first reminder, the app will continue to display additional notifications such as "Relax your mind", "Inhale/Exhale"... the following notifications will be harder to ignore than the previous ones.

TikTok said it will add some meditation exercises and breathing instructions for kids to stop watching videos and follow to help them sleep better.

The social network also said it would update the feature for Family Pairing, a tool that allows parents to control their children's TikTok usage, first introduced in 2020.

The new “Time Away” feature will allow parents to decide when their child should take a break and stop using TikTok. It also allows parents to set regular times for their child to use TikTok each day.

If children want to continue using TikTok beyond the set time frame, they can send a request to their parents through TikTok and they can decide whether to allow their children to continue using it for a while.

The Family Pairing toolkit also allows parents to monitor who their children's TikTok accounts are following and which accounts are following their children's TikTok channels, which can help parents guide and know what topics and content their children are interested in on TikTok.

"The tools on Family Pairing will help parents better understand their children, helping children be better equipped as teenagers, developing the understanding and skills needed in the digital age," said a TikTok representative about the new features equipped on the Family Pairing toolkit.

In addition, TikTok also said it will apply technological measures to ensure the age of participating users, including applying artificial intelligence to identify people aged 13 and over to register for an account and use TikTok.

TikTok's new moves come as the social network has long faced criticism and concerns about its potential to "cause addiction" to minors.

TikTok's future in the US remains uncertain.

An executive order by President Donald Trump allows TikTok to continue operating until April 5, but to be able to operate in the US after this time, TikTok is forced to divest all capital from its Chinese owner and sell control of the application to a legal entity in the US.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/cong-nghe/tiktok-them-tinh-nang-gioi-han-thoi-gian-su-dung-cua-tre-vi-thanh-nien-20250314104137992.htm