TikTok, one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, has introduced a new feature called Family Pairing, allowing parents to prevent their underage children from using the app at specific hours, as well as to view their follower and following lists. With the aim of enhancing online safety for young users and promoting healthy digital habits, TikTok has added new parental control features to its platform. These innovations provide parents with the opportunity to closely monitor their children’s social media interactions, aiming to make their usage time and online behaviors more controlled. One of the new features allows parents to access their children’s follower and following lists. This system helps families understand who their children are interacting with online. Parents can make use of this data to identify potential risks, detect situations where their children may be exposed to inappropriate content, and intervene when necessary.

INTRODUCING “TIME AWAY” FOR TIME MANAGEMENT
The “Time Away” feature, introduced to maintain a balance in digital life, allows parents to restrict access to TikTok during specific time slots. This feature aims to balance teenagers’ social media usage by limiting access during priority periods like school hours, family time, dinner time, or bedtime. As a result, it prevents children from spending excessive time online while enabling parents to contribute to managing digital habits in a healthy manner.

The new control mechanism provided by TikTok is not limited to access restrictions. The platform aims to balance young users’ daily usage time and reduce digital fatigue with tools such as screen time limits and a “wind-down” mode. By monitoring the time spent by children in front of screens, these tools help establish healthier digital habits.

WHAT IS THE WIND-DOWN MODE?
TikTok’s “Wind-Down” mode is a feature developed to support the sleep patterns of young users, especially during nighttime, to balance their digital habits. This mode automatically activates for users under the age of 16 after 10:00 PM, displaying a screen notification encouraging users to sleep. With relaxing music and a calming atmosphere, it raises awareness for limiting screen usage. It also assists in creating a healthier sleep routine with suggestions like breathing exercises. TikTok announced that this mode will evolve into a more comprehensive feature with activities like meditation exercises in the future.

POTENTIAL EXAMPLE FOR OTHER PLATFORMS
While enhancing parental control features, TikTok emphasizes that it will also prioritize the privacy of young users. With detailed reporting and control options for parents, families can transparently monitor their children’s online interactions and take timely measures against potential risks. This step reinforces TikTok’s commitment to safety for families, emphasizing the importance of responsible and secure use in the digital space. These innovations stand out as a concrete demonstration of TikTok’s strategy to provide a safer digital experience for young users. Leading the way in the industry with its new approaches towards family safety and digital health, TikTok’s initiative may pave the path for similar practices to be adopted in the future.