TikTok today announced a new set of enhanced policies and features designed to further protect the safety and well-being of young people on the platform. The updates, which take effect on September 13, 2025, reinforce the company’s commitment to creating a secure, positive, and age-appropriate environment for users under 18.
“Keeping young people safe is at the core of our work,” the company said. “These updates reflect our ongoing effort to safeguard youth on TikTok through stricter privacy settings, clearer age restrictions, and stronger enforcement processes.”
Stricter Age Limits and Privacy Defaults
To ensure a safer experience for minors, TikTok is implementing the following measures:
-
Age-based feature restrictions:
Users must be 16 years or older for their videos to appear in the For You Feed (FYF) and to access Direct Messaging.
-
More protective default settings:
Accounts of younger users will automatically adopt more restrictive privacy controls.
-
Content filters for age-appropriate viewing:
TikTok will continue limiting content that may be unsuitable for people under 18 through built-in filters and safeguards, as outlined in the updated “Age-Restricted” sections of its Community Guidelines.
Age Requirements and U.S. Under-13 Experience
TikTok requires users to be at least 13 years old to create an account. In some regions, minimum ages may vary based on local regulations.
In the United States, TikTok offers a dedicated under-13 experience featuring heightened protections, including:
-
Removal of interactive features such as commenting, messaging, or sharing videos
-
A curated FYF with age-appropriate content vetted by Common Sense Networks
-
A separate, specialized Privacy Policy
New U.S.-based users identified as under 13 will automatically enter this restricted experience.
TikTok will continue to remove accounts believed to belong to users under the minimum age or restrict access to features that have age requirements. Users who believe their account was removed in error may submit an appeal. Anyone may also report accounts suspected to belong to underage users within the app or online.
Parents who create content featuring their children are encouraged to clearly indicate that the TikTok account belongs to an adult by updating their bio, profile picture, or username.
Stronger Youth Safety Enforcement
TikTok maintains a zero-tolerance approach toward content or behavior that could harm young people physically, emotionally, or developmentally. As part of its strengthened enforcement:
-
The platform will permanently ban accounts belonging to individuals who have committed sexual offenses against minors.
-
TikTok reports cases of child sexual exploitation and abuse to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
-
The company also notifies relevant law enforcement agencies when it becomes aware of credible, imminent threats to life or serious physical harm.
Parents, guardians, and educators can access additional resources through TikTok’s Teen Safety Center and Guardian’s Guide.
May katanungan tungkol sa pagpapalaki ng anak? Basahin ang mga artikulo o magtanong sa kapwa magulang sa aming app. I-download ang theAsianparent Community sa iOS o Android!
