TikTok announces new features about privacy protections for teenagers

TikTok, a video-sharing social networking service, has announced new privacy protections for teen users.

The video-sharing app is implementing new settings and controls in order to better protect its users who are under 18, according to press release.

The new changes include defaulting all accounts for users between the ages of 13 and 15 to private and limiting comments to friends-only or no one.

As per announcement, the accounts registered to users of this group of age will have their privacy setting defaulted to private. It means only the user’s approved followers can view their videos.

The settings can also be manually changed to public so that their videos are viewable to all, according to the company’s statement.

“By engaging them early in their privacy journey, we can enable them to make more deliberate decisions about their online privacy,” the release reads.

Similarly, the “Suggest your account to others” setting will be switched to off by default for them, according to the release.

Other changes include limiting the comments section for users ages 13-15 to friends-only or no one at all, and only allowing video downloads for users ages 16-17. They will also have their default setting on Friends only.

According to the statement, they’re also building on previous updates to promote youth safety, including restricting direct messaging and hosting live streams to users 16 and over.

The video-sharing app, according to PR, will also restrict any buying, sending or receiving of virtual gifts to users 18 and over, and enable a Family Pairing feature, which allows parents/guardians to set guardrails on their teen’s TikTok.