TikTok launches new parental monitoring tools and app limits for teens

TikTok is once again expanding its parental control options, launching new Family Pairing features that allow parents and guardians greater control over screen time and access to their kids' followers.

The app's updated supervision feature lets parents of teen users view their children's followers and the accounts they follow in return, as well as any accounts their teen has blocked. Later this year, TikTok will release an additional feature that allows teens to notify their parents or caregivers when they report a video.

Parents will have more options to limit their teens' screen time with the new Time Away feature, as well, which lets parents block app access for select hours during the day. Parents can also elect their teen into reoccurring, scheduled access, and are given the power to approve teen requests for extended screen time. If a teens opens the app during an unscheduled time, they will be alerted by a pop-up and won't be able to access the app without permission.

In addition, the platform says teens can expect additional "Wind Down" reminders for users under 18 years old (TikTok allows users as young as 13) who are on the app after 10 p.m., part of its larger array of screen time reminders and a platform-wide emphasis on mindfulness and mental health.

Credit: TikTok

“TikTok’s latest iteration of its parental controls and online safety tools is a welcome development for families looking to both protect their children from harm and empower them as responsible digital citizens," said Stephen Balkam, CEO and Founder of the Family Online Safety Institute, in a press release. "Most importantly, these tools give parents greater support in fostering open, ongoing conversations about their children’s technology use."

Overall, TikTok has taken longer than some of its other competitors, like Meta, to implement such monitoring tools. TikTok has previously released features like screen time limits, direct messaging controls, and content restrictions, responding to widespread concern about the effect of the social media platform on teen users' mental health.