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Cyber Expert Reviewer:
Reviewed on Jan 5, 2023
TikTok is a social media platform where users create, share, and view an endless stream of short-form videos. It hosts content of almost any topic, and although most parents are likely familiar with TikTok’s viral dance trends and lip syncing challenges, they may be unaware that inappropriate content is rife on the platform. Even without performing a specific search, users can easily come across videos that feature profanity, drug use, discussions about self-harm and other serious mental health issues, and sexually explicit content.
Although the platform’s terms of service state that users must be 13 years or over, the birth date they are required to enter when setting up an account is not verified, making the platform easily accessible by those who are underage. US users who indicate they are under 13 are given a watered-down TikTok experience (TikTok for Young Users), featuring limited content and platform interaction. Parents should note that this version still contains advertising, collects some user data (such as the device ID, videos watched, and time spent on the platform), and curates the user’s feed based on information collected.
Due to the nature of the content that can be found on TikTok, the amount of data the platform collects, and the volume of personalised content its unique algorithm provides, we have given it a higher age recommendation than that of the platform or the App Store.
TikTok’s built-in editing features, such as filters, special effects, sound bites, and music make it easy for creators to produce content that is fun and entertaining. Accessing content TikTok videos can be accessed by downloading the app onto an iOS or Android device, via www.tiktok.com on a web browser or when it is uploaded by users to other platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. Users don’t need an account to view content; however, they will need to set one up if they wish to read comments, interact with others or create and share posts. Videos are designed to be shared TikTok encourages users to share videos on many different platforms. Depending on privacy settings, if a video is created and uploaded, any one of the creator’s followers can easily save the content to their smartphone or share it directly to Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, Twitter or YouTube, among others, by clicking on a link. For You feed TikTok’s algorithm cleverly creates an endless stream of videos that are designed to be highly appealing to the user to keep them on the platform. The algorithm looks at things like the type content consumed, the way it is viewed, and whether it is liked or blocked to produce a curated feed that is unique to each user. Despite this, users are still likely to find content on their feed they don’t like or that doesn’t interest them. To help ‘train’ the algorithm to populate their feed with more desirable content, users can block posts based on a specific video, sound or creator using the options found under the ‘not interested’ menu. Users can further optimise their feed by liking and commenting on the posts and videos they enjoy. Global trends and the Discover and Friends tabs TikTok’s content relies on trends, which can be influenced by current world events, celebrities and viral videos on other apps. Some trends are reasonably harmless and can include miming a popular movie scene or performing a choreographed dance; however, others can place users in extreme danger. The Discover tab enables users to explore content by category, grouping videos by hashtags that correspond to challenges, trends, or themes. Recently, TikTok began replacing the Discover tab with a Friends tab (to encourage users to view recommended content from their TikTok connections), displaying a feed of accounts that the user follows as well as other connection suggestions and content. Users can also use the search function to locate content relating to a specific category of interest. Duet and Stitch features TikTok’s Duet and Stitch features enable users who have public accounts to incorporate other user content into their own videos. As with a real duet, the Duet feature allows creators to play their content side-by-side with another user’s content. The Stitch feature enables users to include short snippets of other users’ content within their videos. The aim of these features is to promote creator collaboration and cross-promotion within the platform. TikTok Now TikTok Now is the platform’s newest feature, available through the app or downloaded separately in regions outside the US. Similar to the popular app, BeReal., users are given a 3-minute timeframe to take and share a photo or 10-second video at a random time each day. By utilising the device’s front and rear cameras to showcase the user and their background for context, the feature aims to provide users with a more authentic way to connect on the platform, enabling those they share their Now with to see what they are up to in a given moment. Users can either share with ‘Friends’ only (those they follow who follow them back) or with ‘Everyone’ (all TikTok Now users within the region). Users aged between 13 and 15 years can only comment and interact on a Now that is posted by a friend.
Accessing viewing history Parents can get a general idea of the type of content their child has been viewing by scrolling through their curated ‘For you’ feed. They can also request their child’s detailed TikTok viewing history by following the steps outlined in the ‘How to’ section below.
Gifts and monetising TikTok accounts TikTok creators can monetise their accounts; however, to do so, they must be aged 18 years or over and meet some fairly stringent conditions. Users who are over 16 years of age can ‘go live’ using the TikTok LIVE feature, and those who are over 18 years old can receive gifts from fans and followers during a live session. Â
Online privacy Parents should be aware that TikTok does not promote privacy by design. When users over 15 create a TikTok account, by default, their account will be set to public. Furthermore, the objective of many tweens and teens using the app is to become ‘TikTok famous’ (translation: amass a large number of followers and views), which also requires them to have a public account. Fortunately, TikTok has implemented a feature that sets the accounts of 13-15 year olds to private by default. Parents can alter the privacy settings on their child's account to make it even safer, although this can cause issues, as children can easily change these settings back. A safer option would be to use the Family Pairing tool, which allows parents to put restrictions on their child's account through their ‘parent' account. Details on how to set this up can be found in the ‘How to’ section of this app review.
Online bullying and predators Because user age and other personal details are not verified when a TikTok account is created, it is extremely easy for a person to misrepresent themselves. A user with a public TikTok account can be found and contacted by anyone on the platform, increasing their risk of interacting with online predators or potentially exposing them to hurtful or sexually explicit comments on their posts. It is also important to note that if your child adds their phone number to their profile, they may be contactable through the messenger feature, depending on their privacy settings. Parents should ensure their teen’s account is set so they can be contacted by ‘no one’ or ‘friends only’. For detailed instructions on maximising privacy settings, please see the ‘How to’ section of this app review.
Inappropriate content Although on the surface TikTok’s content may appear to be harmless, lighthearted and entertaining, much of the video themes have a darker side that may not be appropriate for teens including content that is sexually explicit, or contains such things as references to suicide, profanity, self-harm, drug use, and eating disorders. Additionally, TikTok’s algorithm works in such a way that when users click on and watch videos of a particular topic, their feed becomes populated with similar content, providing constant exposure to potentially risky content without intent.
Although there are many great songs and music featured on TikTok, users have a choice of any song available, some of which may contain sexually suggestive content and profanity. One example is the ‘WAP’ dance challenge trend of 2020 featuring the popular, but highly sexualised song by Cardi B, which had children, teens and adults from around the world replicating the extremely provocative dance moves.
Although TikTok content is monitored, this safeguard is not fool-proof and creators are clever at preventing their potentially risky or inappropriate videos from being flagged, by using creative hashtags to avoid suspicion. Risky challenges To attract views and increase their following, many TikTok creators often engage in risky or inappropriate viral challenges. Posing in sexual positions, jumping out of a moving car to perform a dance, or participating in videos featuring dangerous stunts such as the Skull Breaker Challenge (which ultimately leaves one person flying to the floor backwards after having their feet kicked out from under them) are common trends that do the rounds on the platform. Excessive screen time TikTok can be highly addictive: Its algorithm creates a personal feed for each user that is designed to keep them on the platform, mindlessly scrolling from one video to the next, causing users to spend far longer on their device than likely intended. Even though the short-form videos typically last less than a minute, users will often scroll to the next within a couple of seconds and studies have shown that content of this format can adversely affect mental health and memory, and can significantly decrease collective attention span. Data collection Although TikTok can collect some forms of user data without an account, using cookies and the like, the platform is able to create an incredibly accurate personal profile based on data collection generated from user habits once an account is set up, including a user’s device type, IP address, location, preferred content, ethnicity, sexual persuasion, religion, shopping habits and mental health status, among other things. In the US, TikTok can also collect biometric data including voice and facial recognition. Data collected on the platform can be sold to third parties without the user’s permission. Full details can be found in the developer’s privacy policy.
TikTok can be an entertaining and creative platform when used appropriately and set up correctly using its online safety and privacy tools. Much of the platform’s content features ordinary people expressing themselves in a positive way, helping to make it more relatable than some other social media platforms that promote picture-perfect lifestyles. It also enables users to showcase their talents and interests, and can be a fantastic way for users to discover a new skill or hobby. Recently, TikTok has undertaken measures to help support user wellbeing by placing search interventions for potentially risky or distressing topics such as #suicide, which will direct them to appropriate support services rather than user-generated content relating to the topic. TikTok has also introduced a Safety Centre guide to help users educate themselves about eating disorders.
TikTok can be a fun and extremely entertaining and creative outlet for teens; however, the platform has many potential risks that parents should carefully consider before allowing their children to access the content. Parents can help minimise the risks by following a few simple tips:
Some Internet users believe that when they post something publicly, they have the right to make any comment they like, no matter how inappropriate, hurtful or negative. These trolls hide behind their screens and keyboards and often write things that they would never say to you in real life to stir the pot or get a reaction. Consider setting your TikTok account to ‘private’ to limit the number of people who can interact with your posts and block and report anyone who makes inappropriate comments.
When you include personal information in your account profile or online posts, others can use it to trace your movements online or find you in real life. To help you stay safe, remember to think before you set up your account or create a post. Always ensure that your username doesn't include both your first and last names (or consider using a pseudonym instead) and that you don’t upload details about things like your birthday, where you live, your school or your sporting clubs (including photos).
Turning off 'Allow Others to Find Me' and ‘Suggest Account’ will help protect you by stopping unwanted people from locating your profile. Ensure all other privacy settings are switched to 'Friends', including those who can send you messages and who can duet with you.
1. In the app, click on the head & shoulders icon (bottom right hand corner). 2. Click on the three vertical dots in the top right hand corner. 3. Click on Privacy. 4. Toggle on Private Account and toggle off Suggest your account to others. 5. Turn all additional Who Can... settings to Friends. 6. Click on Filter Comments and toggle to On. 7. Click on Allow Download and toggle to Off. 8. Go back to the menu and select Digital Wellbeing. 9. Toggle Restricted Mode to On. You can also set a screen time limit in this menu.
1. In the app, click on the head and shoulders icon (bottom right hand corner). 2. Click on the three vertical dots in the top right hand corner. 3. Under Content & Activity click Family Pairing. 4. Click Continue. 5. Choose Parent. 6. Follow the same steps above on your childs’ account, but click Teen instead of Parent. 7. Scan your childs’ QR code and add your childs’ account. 8. Follow the prompts to set restrictions.
The Gold Standard: COPPA [Implemented globally, legally enforced only in the U.S.]
California: CCPA
U.K and Europe: GDPR-K
Australia: Online Safety Act 2021