Every generation has fads that their parents don’t understand. Social networks, and specifically TikTok, is the one of now. During the pandemic, it was the most installed application in the world, with more than 115 million downloads: 98% more than the previous year. Among the keys to its success are videos of less than a minute in length, themes of all kinds and an algorithm designed to offer users the content that best suits their preferences.
The application is especially successful among young people, who consume and produce videos in equal parts. According to the Pew Research Center, 67% of young people between the ages of 13 and 17 use it at least once a day and 16% admit to using it almost constantly. For this reason, many parents view TikTok with suspicion and wonder how not to be excluded from the use that their children give it.
TikTok has different sections depending on the age of the user. For minors between the ages of 13 and 15, it filters content that may be inappropriate for them and does not allow them to upload their own videos or search or comment on those of third parties, nor can anyone download what they upload. Also, porn is totally prohibited on the app. And on the other hand, TikTok has implemented a function thanks to which, after nine at night, they cannot receive notifications. In any case, it is enough to change the date of birth when registering to bypass this filter, so parents are recommended to be with their children when they register in the application.
Accounts for users over the age of 16 have a slightly different setup: it allows them to create Duos – interactive videos with other people – and they can let anyone download them. In his case, the notifications arrive until ten at night.
On the other hand, one of the most recommended functions for parents is “Family Synchronization”. Thanks to it, they share the profile with their children and can access the content they publish, see, the chat and the settings of the profile itself. The other option is for parents to create their own TikTok account and become friends with their children. This way they can see the people they follow, the videos they upload and, at the same time, respect their privacy.
