TikTok now offers teens privacy settings that protect them against predatory DM slides, harassment, and other threats. Although the new features are heavily dependent on teens self-regulating, they do draw more attention to privacy issues.TikTok announced that direct messaging will be turned off for users between 16 and 17. This was made public in a blog post. While teens can still turn their DMs on through the settings menu, it will need to be active. This app will prompt users of this age group to check and confirm their privacy settings before they attempt to use DMs.These changes should make it easier for younger users to get into the lawless chaos of DMs once they're ready. TikTok had previously removed direct messaging from all users below 16 years old in April. Users between 16 and 17 years old will receive a pop-up asking them to confirm their choice and warning them that their content may be shared with others.Users under 16 years old can download videos without any restrictions, but they also get a new alert. TikTok will add a privacy popup to allow children under 16 to post videos. It will ask them to choose which users can see their video. This will include followers, followers they follow back and just themselves. TikTok has already made accounts for children under 16 private by default. This means that they can't allow anyone to view their videos.You can make your profile public again by going into the settings. This will allow you to publish to anyone. It does however prevent them from instantly sharing their faces on the internet.SEE ALSO TikTok deleted more than 7 million accounts that were supposedly owned by minorsTikTok has stopped sending nighttime push notifications out to users younger than 18, because their bodies are still developing and need good sleep.TikTok stated that they want to encourage digital positive habits in younger users and regularly consult with paediatric experts as well as youth well-being advocates. "Accounts between 13 and 15 years old will no longer receive push notifications after 9 p.m. Accounts between 16-17 years old will start receiving push notifications at 10 p.m.TikTok has deleted more than 7 million accounts that were believed to be in this age group in June, so children under 13 cannot use regular TikTok.It's not clear when TikTok will stop sending push notifications to children under 16 years old. Push notifications are not necessary for me to be reminded that there is a smorgasbord fun and distracting videos just one tap away. Maybe kids are different.Over the next few months, TikTok will release new features worldwide.
