TikTok has unveiled a range of new features aimed at improving the well-being of its young users and reducing screen time. The social media giant will soon implement a daily screen time limit of 60 minutes for all users under 18. Teenagers who reach this limit will be prompted to enter a passcode to continue watching. If they spend more than 100 minutes a day on the app, they will be asked to set a new limit. Young users will also receive a weekly inbox notification about their screen time, which will require them to actively extend the recommended time.
TikTok claims that these prompts increased the use of its screen time management tools by 234% during the feature’s first month of testing. The platform consulted current academic research and Digital Wellness Lab experts at Boston Children’s Hospital to determine the duration of the time restriction. TikTok’s Head of Trust and Safety, Cormac Keenan, stated that teens require additional support when exploring the online world independently.
Other new features include customizable parental controls through Family Pairing, which allows parents or guardians to link their account to a younger user’s account. Custom limits can be set based on days of the week or adjusted over school holidays. Access to a screen time dashboard will provide a summary of how much time a child has spent on the app and when. A new “Mute Notifications” setting will allow parents to mute app notifications on their children’s accounts.
Finally, TikTok is developing new content controls that will enable caregivers to filter videos with words or hashtags they don’t want their children to watch. Some of these features will be available to all accounts soon, allowing users to schedule mute notifications and set customized screen time limits for each day of the week. The platform is also introducing a sleep reminder that reminds users to close the app and go to bed. The company has not announced a release timeline for these new features.
