5 Ways TikTok Is Keeping Tweens And Teens Safe

In an era where digital interaction is integral to the lives of tweens and teens, parents are rightfully concerned about the safety of their children online. And TikTok, the leading short-form video platform, is actively empowering parents to guide their teens responsibly. This commitment, emphasized during a panel discussion featuring key figures from TikTok, reflects the platform’s dedication to providing a secure and positive online environment for young users.

_{(From left) Panelists Toff Rada, TikTok Philippine Public Policy Head; Mona Magno-Veluz,TikTok Safety Advisory Council Member; and KahnJi Weerachaising, TikTok Outreach & Partnerships Manager discuss TikTok's approach to online safety during a panel discussion}

Here are a few ways TikTok is working to keep tweens and teens safe on the platform:

“Safety by Design” Approach

TikTok is committed to building age-appropriate experiences for teens, fostering a secure and inclusive space for creativity. Toff Rada, Philippine Head of Public Policy at Tiktok, emphasized, “We’ve designed our app with safety in mind, implementing a ‘Safety by Design’ approach that ensures we are protecting our community.” This commitment reflects TikTok’s innovative solutions to industry challenges surrounding youth safety.

Local collaborations and partnerships

TikTok takes a proactive stance in crafting their Community Guidelines, which is available in both English and Filipino, to adapt to the evolving digital landscape. Through collaborations with government agencies, diversity experts, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and teens, TikTok ensures that its policies align with local and global best practices. According to KhanJi Weerachaising, Policy Outreach at Tiktok, “We regularly involve teens in the conversations we have about online safety, enabling us to listen and be responsive to their needs. We partner with Child Rights Coalition Asia and Childfund Philippines to host safety consultations with Filipino youth and we continuously engage with experts and NGOs to keep abreast of local trends through forums such as ASEAN ICT Forum on Child Protection.”

Establishment of a Safety Advisory Council

TikTok has formed a Safety Advisory Council (SAC) that actively shapes forward-looking policies. Mona Magno-Veluz, a content creator with the handle @mightymagulang on TikTok and SAC member, shared, “Being part of TikTok’s Safety Advisory Council allows me to contribute to shaping a safer and more inclusive digital space. It’s an opportunity to represent the voices of Filipino users, ensuring that our community’s concerns and perspectives are taken into account in the development of TikTok’s safety policies.”

The SAC, comprising diverse and independent experts, collaborates with TikTok to strengthen policies, product features, and safety processes. KhanJi shares, “Our council members represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and comprise experts in youth safety, free expression, hate speech, and other safety topics. They work collaboratively with us to inform and strengthen our policies, product features, and safety processes.”

Transparency in Community Guidelines enforcement

TikTok underscores transparency in enforcing Community Guidelines. With over 40,000 safety professionals worldwide, the platform actively removes content violating policies. Quarterly reports on Community Guidelines Enforcement provides visibility into removed content. In the Philippines, TikTok removed over 3.8 million videos from July to September 2023, with 98% proactively removed (meaning it was removed before it got any views) and 95% within 24 hours.

Empowering both parents and youth users

Recognizing parents as crucial partners in fostering a safe digital environment, TikTok offers tools like Family Pairing and the Guardian’s Guide. Toff stated, “At TikTok, we strive to build not just a safe community but an inclusive space where teens can explore, create, and connect safely.” Family Pairing enables parents to set limits, and filter content. Users can also set Daily Screen Time and Screen Time Breaks so users are more conscious of the time they spend on the platform. Parents can also set a 1-hour limit on the platform for their tweens and teens, the basis of which is based from TikTok’s consultations with child experts on screen time for tweens and teens.

TikTok’s unwavering commitment to tweens and teens safety is evident through collaborative efforts and continuous innovation. Mona believes that the platform has a lot of potential for education, and that the new features will manage any problems while also helping reinforce the values parents want. Furthermore, since a lot of the youth aspire to be content creators, it would be best to train them on online best practices and equip them with the right decision making skills to know when any situation is unhealthy for them.

Mona emphasizes building relationships and communication with teens rather than imposing strict limits. She suggests age-appropriate interventions and encourages continuous conversations about online activities. Mona stresses the importance of teaching teens to make informed decisions, fostering a healthy approach to digital use.