After gaining massive popularity throughout the course of 2020, TikTok is changing the game when it comes to social media.
With just a few weeks of 2021 under our belts, the video sharing app is making a few adjustments that will affect the way kids under the age of 18 use the platform.
TikTok announced updates to its privacy settings Wednesday, which include age-specific restrictions for users between the ages of 13 and 18. The update means default privacy settings intended to keep different age groups safe, as well as restrictions to other features like the ability to download TikTok videos that belong to minors.
The company also plans to restrict which age groups are allowed to create certain types of videos.
In addition to the privacy changes, TikTok is partnering with Common Sense Networks, a division of Common Sense Media that curates age-appropriate content for kids and families. The goal is to improve TikTok for Younger Users, a limited version of the app designed for kids under 13.
“At Common Sense Networks, we see this engagement as an opportunity to double down on our commitment to elevate the quality of children’s digital media so that age-appropriate content is the rule in our industry and not the exception,” Eric Berger, CEO of Common Sense Networks, said in a press release about the changes.
TikTok Privacy Settings
The age-specific changes target two different age groups: 13-15, and 16-17.