We have more news about TikTok going wholesome! Well, trying to, at least. So, get this – TikTok is adding some new well-being elements to ensure that teens aren’t spending too much time in the app, with new default time limits and prompts to guide more mindful usage. However, this has to be the biggest update for teens:

“In the coming weeks, every account belonging to a user below age 18 will automatically be set to a 60-minute daily screen time limit. While there’s no collectively-endorsed position on the ‘right’ amount of screen time or even the impact of screen time more broadly, we consulted the current academic research and experts from the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital in choosing this limit.”

The Limit

Teens over 13 can essentially bypass this new limit by keying in a passcode and being able to continue watching, but with prompts that will ideally trigger more consideration about the amount of time they’re spending on the app. When teens reach 100 minutes, they’ll receive another in-app prompt alerting them of their usage.

Pre-teen users (under 13), however, won’t be able to opt out of the 1-hour time limit, with a parent or guardian controlling the additional watch time beyond the initial allotted period, while TikTok will also send young users a weekly recap of their total screen time. It’s an interesting update to say the last, and even sort of mirrors similar restrictions placed on Chinese youngsters, put in place by the CCP to combat gaming addiction, to a degree.

Back in 2021, the Chinese Government implemented rules that restrict minors to an hour a day in online games, and only on Fridays, weekends, and public holidays. The restrictions have since had huge impacts on gaming addiction, which the CCP views as beneficial to helping youngsters instead focus on education, while also safeguarding them from more harmful elements in gaming apps.

TikTok can be similarly addictive, and many child safety advocates will be more than happy to see it restricted among younger users. TikTok usage has been linked to various harmful behaviors, along with mental health concerns. As such, it makes sense to implement at least some level of restriction to stop kids from tumbling down algorithmic rabbit holes for hours on end.

While teens can use the app beyond these limits, it’s a good move for TikTok to at least raise awareness of such, even if its usage stats take a hit in the process. It also helps TikTok present itself in a more positive light with authorities, especially those that are considering banning the app.

TikTok will also implement new, customized screen time limits for all users, with people able to set variable daily time limits, along with being able to schedule mute notifications. TikTok’s also adding sleep reminders to deactivate the app.

Lastly, TikTok will also be expanding its parental controls, with new elements being added to its Family Pairing element, complete with a screen time dashboard to monitor kids’ use, and the capacity to mute app notifications within chosen times.

The Wrap

Again, these are positive steps for TikTok, and while an hour a day seems tiny for kids who are accustomed to mindlessly scrolling on social apps for hours a day, it’s a good way to make parents more aware of the time their kids are spending in the app, and how they can better manage such.

Sources

http://bit.ly/3kJb2x5