TikTok Safety Settings
TikTok is essentially a video sharing app. It enables it's users to create, share and watch content posted by others on the app. This App is rated as Parental Guidance, essentially this is an app that has a considerably amount of mature orientated content unsuitable for children under 13 years.
#AGE RATING: PG Parental Guidance
This App is in no way suitable for young children.
In fact a recommendation would be for the Age Rating to be 15 years or above
NOTE: We have some immediate concerns relating to the use of this App by children and strongly advise against it
- When creating a TikTok account users are asked to sign in using an existing Social Media Account. If the user signs up this way the application has access to the user's contacts and other information on that platform.
- It is well known that TikTok collects a multitude of personal information from its users. This relates to technical and behavioural information, location, shared social network information, messages, metadata, contacts etc.
- There is a considerable amount of inappropriate content on this platform entirely unsuitable for children, some of which does appear under the Recommended for you feature of the app regardless of the setting
- The app has been responsible for a far higher number online challenges. Many of these are harmless, by others not so.
- The app originally known as Musical.ly was primarily an app that encouraged users to mime songs. Even then there was a risk that some of the songs may have contained sexually graphic or explicit lyrics. The app has evolved far beyond this and you could literally find anything on
- The app also has a feature by which users can make in-app purchases, of gifts or coins users can share. This is designed to encourage creativity among the TikTok community. Virtual Coins can be exchanged for real world money if the user gets enough. Roughly 10,000 coins are about €100. The monetisation of content encourages users to come up with more creative or extreme content. Remember to toggle off “in-app purchases” in the Restrictions section.
- It can be easy to find inappropriate content due to the ability to #hashtag content so it is strongly advised these settings are applied or used as parental controls
How to set a TikTok account to private and prevent others from finding me
- Open the TikTok app
- At the bottom right of the screen select the person icon or me
- On the screen that opens up select the three dots in the top right hand corner of the screen
- Select the Privacy and Settings option
- Activate Private Account by switching the button to ON
This ensures that only users you approve can follow the account
- Directly underneath is the option to Allow others to find me
- This should also be activated
Other options available under Privacy and Settings/Safety
There are a number of options to restrict who can interact with the account user
- Open the TikTok app
- At the bottom right of the screen select the person icon or me
- On the screen that opens up select the three dots in the top right hand corner of the screen
- Select the Privacy and Settings option
- Under the Safety option you may set the following to Everyone, Friends, Off
- Those who can post comments – set to Friends or Off
- Users can React to your videos – set to Friends or Off
- People can Duet with you – set to Friends or Off
- Who can send your messages – set to Friends or Off
- There are also options for
- Allow Download
- Who can view the videos I liked
How to Filter Spam, Offensive comments and Filter words
- Open the TikTok app
- At the bottom right of the screen select the person icon or me
- On the screen that opens up select the three dots in the top right hand corner of the screen
- Select the Privacy and Settings option
- Under the Safety option select Comment Filters
- Activate Filter spam and offensive comments by turning the button to on
- Activate Filter Keywords by turning the button to On
- You will now have to enter the keywords you wish to have blocked by selecting the +Keywords option
How to turn on Restricted Mode on TikTok
- Open the TikTok app
- At the bottom right of the screen select the person icon or me
- On the screen that opens up select the three dots in the top right hand corner of the screen
- Select the Privacy and Settings option
- Now select the Digital Wellbeing option
- Activate the Restricted Mode by switching the button to ON
- When prompted set a passcode, enter your four digit Pin number and then press next
- To confirm the four digit Pin number passcode, press next
- The passcode will now be required before restrictive content can be accessed
How to set up Screen Time Management on TikTok
- Open the TikTok app
- At the bottom right of the screen select the person icon or me
- On the screen that opens up select the three dots in the top right hand corner of the screen
- Select the Privacy and Settings option
- Now select the Digital Wellbeing option
- Select the Screen Time Management option
- Select Turn of Screen Time Management
- When prompted set a four digit PIN number and select Next
- Confirm the PIN and select Next
- A restriction of 60 minutes per day now applies. To use the app after this time will require the Pin number
How to block or report a user
- If you encounter inappropriate content on the platform you can report/block the user by first selecting the users profile name
- Then on the profile screen selecting the thee dots option in the top-right corner of the screen
- Then select Block to block the user or Report to report the user