TikTok Introduces New Family Pairing Feature To Help Kids With Safe Online Use

Worried about the online safety of your children as they get creative on social media? Read on to find out more TikTok’s new safety feature and how you can ensure a healthy online social life for your children.

TikTok Singapore has announced the launch of its new family pairing feature which has been added to its Suite of Safety Tools. People of all ages are turning to TikTok for their daily dose of entertainment, while confined within the walls of their homes and unable to head out as per usual.

At this critical juncture, the company remains committed to the safety of its users. With many children now operating this short-form mobile video app, the TikTok family pairing feature allows parents to customise the safety settings for their children. Scheduled to be rolled out in the coming weeks, this feature promises to provide parents with an insight into and control over how their kids are using TikTok. Its aim is to promote responsible use and safe experiences for users of all ages.

The family pairing feature is the latest in TikTok’s continuing efforts to provide parents with a better ability to guide their children’s online experiences. It is designed to educate children about online safety and digital citizenship. According to Doreen Tan, User & Content Operations Manager at TikTok Singapore, the new feature will promote a more trustworthy experience, especially its young users. Once TikTok’s family pairing has been activated, parents will be able to link their children’s account to their own and be able to monitor their usage. Below are listed a few controls that can be set, to ensure that your child has a safe online experience.

1. Tiktok’s New Family Pairing Screen-Time Management

TikTok’s new family pairing feature will allow parents to control the amount of time their children spend on the app each day. The company has also incorporated fun and upbeat short videos that will pop up in the app, encouraging users to keep a tab on their screen time. Some of these videos will also offer suggestions to go offline for some time and engage in other activities like reading a book. These videos use the upbeat tone most loved by users and have been designed with the help of top creators.

2. Restricted Mode

This is used to restrict the appearance of content that are inappropriate for children. According to TikTok guidelines, parents can set Screen Time Management and Restricted Mode even without enabling the family pairing feature. These features have already been incorporated under the app’s Digital Wellbeing controls.

3. Direct Messages (DM)

Using this feature, parents can set a limit to who can send direct messages to the connected account, or even turn off direct messaging completely. TikTok already imposes controls on direct messages like how only approved followers can message one another, and how images or videos are not allowed to be sent as direct messages. Starting from 30^th April 2020, there will be further controls imposed on direct messages with DMs prohibited for registered accounts whose holders are under the age of 16.

Photo: iStock

Singapore is among the best in the world regarding online safety for children. Content platforms are encouraged to keep up the momentum by continuously updating and evolving their online policies. With its new family pairing feature, TikTok has grown its Trust & Safety Hub in Singapore, and has made its policies more transparent and accessible. In addition to this, the company offers a number of resources to support its users including Educational Safety Videos, Guidelines and Tips for Parents, etc. TikTok remains dedicated to its focus – to create, share and enjoy the creativity of its users. Check out more of TikTok’s efforts to educate and support the community on their Safety Centre.

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