What is TikTok’s age protection setting?
TikTok’s age protection setting is a feature that limits the content that younger users can see on the platform. According to TikTok’s Community Guidelines, users under the age of 13 are not allowed to have TikTok accounts. However, some younger users still access the app. The age protection setting aims to create a more age-appropriate experience for these users.
When age protection is enabled, users will not be able to view content that is deemed inappropriate for younger audiences. This includes videos with adult themes, violence, nudity, or other mature subject matter. TikTok uses a combination of user reporting, artificial intelligence, and human moderators to identify and restrict such content.
Age protection also limits the ability of younger users to interact with others on the platform. Features like commenting, duetting, and direct messaging may be disabled. This is meant to prevent unwanted communication between adults and minors.
Overall, the age protection setting serves to create a safer, more child-friendly version of TikTok for users who may be under 13. It removes content that parents may find objectionable and reduces the risks associated with younger children using social media.
Why you may want to turn off age protection
There are a couple reasons why someone may want to disable TikTok’s age protection settings:
Allow access to more content and features. TikTok restricts certain content and features for younger users as a safety precaution. Turning off age protection will remove these restrictions, allowing you to see more videos and use features like direct messaging. However, this also opens you up to potentially mature content.
Bypass restrictions if you feel mature enough. Some teenagers may feel they are mature enough to view more adult content on TikTok. Disabling age protection gives them unfiltered access to all videos. However, it’s ultimately up to parents to decide if their child is ready for this.
It’s important to weigh the pros and cons here. While access to more content may seem appealing, there are good reasons TikTok implements age-based restrictions. Speak to your parents before making this decision.
Requirements for Turning Off Age Protection
In order to disable age protection on TikTok, there are certain requirements you must meet:
First and foremost, you must be over 18 years old to turn off age protection. TikTok requires users to be adults in order to access all content on the platform without restrictions. So if you are under 18, you will not be able to disable the age protection settings.
Secondly, you need to verify your age through TikTok’s upload ID verification method. This involves uploading a photo of an official government ID that has your date of birth, such as a driver’s license or passport. TikTok will review your ID submission and if approved, your account age will be updated, allowing you to turn off age protection.
So in summary, the two main requirements are: Must be over 18 years old. Need to verify age through upload ID method.
These steps ensure only adult users have access to unfiltered content. If you meet both requirements, you will be able to disable age protection in your TikTok settings.
How to change your age on TikTok
To change your age on TikTok, you’ll need to edit your profile and update your birthday. Here are the steps:
1. Go to your profile page in the TikTok app. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the upper-right corner.
2. Tap “Edit profile” from the menu.
3. Scroll down and tap “Edit” next to “Birthday”. This will open up a date selector.
4. Change your birthday to make you 18 years old or older. You can set it to your actual birthday if you are over 18, or make up a fake birthday that makes you old enough.
5. Tap “Done” in the top right corner once you’ve updated your birthday.
That’s it! TikTok will now treat you as 18+ and remove age restrictions based on the birthday you provided. You can repeat these steps again later to change your age if needed.
Enabling age protection again
It is easy to re-enable age protection on TikTok if you change your mind later. Simply follow these steps:
Go back to your profile page and tap the three dots in the top right corner. Select ‘Edit profile’ from the menu.
On the Edit Profile page, update your birthday back to your real date of birth. This will automatically turn age protection back on.
You can also go to Settings > Digital Wellbeing > Turn on “Restricted Mode” to enable age protection without changing your birthday.
Once you have your real birthday set or Restricted Mode enabled, you will no longer be able to view content marked as 18+ until you are old enough.
Enabling age protection is recommended to avoid seeing inappropriate content. But you can always disable it again in the future once you turn 18 by updating your birthday.
What content differences to expect
Turning off age protection on TikTok opens up the content in your For You feed to more mature or suggestive themes. Here are some of the key differences you can expect:
The For You feed will include a broader range of videos not filtered by age. This means you may see more videos with mature language, themes, or suggestive content. TikTok’s safety policies still apply, but the age protection acts as an extra filter.
More suggestive dances, outfits, lyrics, or themes may appear in videos. TikTok aims to create a 13+ environment, but disabling age protection means you will likely see content intended for older teenagers and adults.
A wider variety of videos will be included beyond the most popular general interest content. Turning off the age filter opens up more niche content intended for older audiences.
In summary, disabling age protection removes a layer of filtering on the For You feed. You will encounter more mature content and themes covering a broader range of topics and interests.
Other parental control options
In addition to turning off age protection for teen accounts, TikTok offers several other parental control options for parents to consider:
Screen time limits – Parents can set daily screen time limits for younger users under the age of 13. The default limit is 60 minutes per day, but parents can customize this limit. See this TikTok news article for more details.
Restricted mode – Enabling restricted mode limits the appearance of content that may be inappropriate for some younger users. Restricted mode can be enabled under account settings. See TikTok’s user safety article for instructions.
Direct messaging control – Parents can limit who can send messages to a teen’s account. Options include friends only, no one, or managed by parent. This control is located under account privacy settings.
Is Turning Off Age Protection Right For You?
Before disabling age protection on TikTok, carefully consider if you can handle and process more mature content. TikTok default enables this protection for users under 18 to avoid exposing them to potentially inappropriate videos. While disabling it provides more access, keep in mind that TikTok’s algorithm may start recommending content meant for older users. If you are under 18, discuss parental oversight and ground rules for app usage before making this change.
Assess your own maturity level and whether you can exercise good judgment about avoiding or reporting unsuitable content that may appear after disabling protection. While seen as more adult, TikTok still removes extremely graphic or dangerous videos. However, the range of content you encounter will expand into edgier humor, sexual topics, rough language, and controversial viewpoints. If not prepared, this can negatively impact your viewing experience.
Consider trialing the change for short periods first. If you feel overwhelmed, are viewing unhealthy content, or have questions, reenable protection. You can also bolster oversight by sharing your account with a trusted parent and agreeing to certain monitoring. Age protection aims to create a safer TikTok environment for younger users. But with the right precautions and supervision in place, disabling it can provide a wider range of content to explore.
Expert tips for staying safe
Before turning off age protection on TikTok for your child, it’s important to go over some key safety tips with them:
Don’t share personal info – Remind your child to never share personal information like phone number, home address, school name, etc. on their public TikTok profile or in comments. This helps protect their identity and privacy according to TikTok’s community guidelines.
Be selective in posting/sharing – Advise your child to be selective in what they record and post. Avoid oversharing personal details or recording in private spaces. According to TikTok’s safety center, it’s important to maintain privacy and show respect for others.
Block/report concerning users – Make sure your child knows how to block or report concerning users or inappropriate content. Empower them to utilize TikTok’s built-in safety features to maintain a positive experience.
By equipping your child with smart safety habits, you can help them benefit from the positive creative outlet of TikTok while avoiding potential risks.
Summary
If you decide turning off age protection is right for your situation, the steps are relatively straightforward. First, access your profile settings in the app and change your birthdate to an older one. This will disable the age protection and allow you to see more mature content. Keep in mind that the default TikTok experience is designed for ages 13+, so disabling this setting means you may encounter inappropriate videos.
As an alternative, consider using TikTok’s Family Pairing feature, which allows parents to customize settings and restrictions for their child’s account. You can limit screen time, restrict certain content, and more. TikTok also allows users to report inappropriate content they come across. While turning off age protection gives you full access, sticking with the 13+ experience or using parental controls may be safer options.
The choice depends on your unique situation and comfort level. Be thoughtful in your decision, and take precautions like avoiding sharing personal information and reporting concerning videos or accounts. Staying safe online requires both personal responsibility and leveraging platforms’ protections.
