A Parent’s Guide to TikTok from Axis
June 26, 2023
By: Christina Wright, Writer
June 20, 2023
Social media has become a place for teens to “hang out” and connect with friends around mutual interests. One of the most popular social media apps is TikTok, with 76 percent of teens saying they use it daily. Just as parents are encouraged to monitor where their teens are going, who they are with, and what they are doing, parents also need to be knowledgeable about their teens’ social media activities.
One of ACSI’s partners, Axis, has developed a helpful, detailed guide about TikTok to help parents keep their teens safe from online dangers. You can access it here. One concern surrounding TikTok has to do with how it handles users’ data. An additional concern is “how easy it is for teens to view mature content” and connect with online predators. Although a majority of teens use TikTok for entertainment and most of the videos are not offensive (many are seen as fluff), it’s important for parents to be aware of how easily inappropriate content can be found. TikTok has an age requirement of 13 before teens are allowed to create their own profiles, but that requirement is easily skirted.
Parental controls on TikTok are called Family Pairing, which allows parents to “remotely disable private messaging, set screen time limits, restrict content, and mute notifications during certain times.” But parents must have their own account to use those features. Keep in mind that it’s worth being on any app your teens are on to keep an eye on what they are being exposed to. Additional features, Digital Wellbeing, offers a Restricted Mode, which can block inappropriate videos, and Screen Time, which can limit the amount of time the app is being used. Both of these features are passcode-protected by the parent.
These tips from Axis will help parents keep their teens safe while using TikTok:
• Make accounts private.
• Make sure teens don’t accept requests from anyone they don’t know.
• Block certain accounts when needed.
• Report inappropriate content immediately.
• Utilize the safety features through Family Pairing and Digital Wellbeing.
• Talk with your teens about online safety, identity, worth, value, etc.
Because of the easy access to mature content, Axis does not recommend children under the age of 13 be allowed to use TikTok (Common Sense Media recommends 15+). Parents should take into account their children’s ages, personalities, and maturity levels when deciding when to allow them on social media. God created all of us with a desire “to create and be in community,” and teens can see social media platforms like TikTok as a way to fulfill those desires.
If parents decide to allow their teens to use TikTok, Axis stresses the importance of having ongoing conversations with them about it. It’s vital that parents make sure their children are educated about the potential dangers of connecting with strangers online and that accountability measures are established. Monitoring their teens’ online activity will help parents navigate the tricky world of social media. Above all, parents should pray for wisdom, guidance, and safety.
For further information, visit the Axis guide at https://axis.org/resource/tiktok-parent-guide/.
June 20, 2023
Social media has become a place for teens to “hang out” and connect with friends around mutual interests. One of the most popular social media apps is TikTok, with 76 percent of teens saying they use it daily. Just as parents are encouraged to monitor where their teens are going, who they are with, and what they are doing, parents also need to be knowledgeable about their teens’ social media activities.
One of ACSI’s partners, Axis, has developed a helpful, detailed guide about TikTok to help parents keep their teens safe from online dangers. You can access it here. One concern surrounding TikTok has to do with how it handles users’ data. An additional concern is “how easy it is for teens to view mature content” and connect with online predators. Although a majority of teens use TikTok for entertainment and most of the videos are not offensive (many are seen as fluff), it’s important for parents to be aware of how easily inappropriate content can be found. TikTok has an age requirement of 13 before teens are allowed to create their own profiles, but that requirement is easily skirted.
Parental controls on TikTok are called Family Pairing, which allows parents to “remotely disable private messaging, set screen time limits, restrict content, and mute notifications during certain times.” But parents must have their own account to use those features. Keep in mind that it’s worth being on any app your teens are on to keep an eye on what they are being exposed to. Additional features, Digital Wellbeing, offers a Restricted Mode, which can block inappropriate videos, and Screen Time, which can limit the amount of time the app is being used. Both of these features are passcode-protected by the parent.
These tips from Axis will help parents keep their teens safe while using TikTok:
• Make accounts private.
• Make sure teens don’t accept requests from anyone they don’t know.
• Block certain accounts when needed.
• Report inappropriate content immediately.
• Utilize the safety features through Family Pairing and Digital Wellbeing.
• Talk with your teens about online safety, identity, worth, value, etc.
Because of the easy access to mature content, Axis does not recommend children under the age of 13 be allowed to use TikTok (Common Sense Media recommends 15+). Parents should take into account their children’s ages, personalities, and maturity levels when deciding when to allow them on social media. God created all of us with a desire “to create and be in community,” and teens can see social media platforms like TikTok as a way to fulfill those desires.
If parents decide to allow their teens to use TikTok, Axis stresses the importance of having ongoing conversations with them about it. It’s vital that parents make sure their children are educated about the potential dangers of connecting with strangers online and that accountability measures are established. Monitoring their teens’ online activity will help parents navigate the tricky world of social media. Above all, parents should pray for wisdom, guidance, and safety.
For further information, visit the Axis guide at https://axis.org/resource/tiktok-parent-guide/.