The social networking and video-sharing platform TikTok curates videos for its users based on a number of factors, including users’ ages. TikTok’s popularity boomed last year as it became one of the most downloaded apps of 2020. Many of the platform’s hundreds of millions of active users are under the age of 18, though, which has raised privacy concerns for minors, though the app targets its “full TikTok experience” for users 13 and up, according to its safety center.
TikTok tightened its privacy settings in 2021 by making all accounts under the age of 16 private and removing the ability to change your birth date within the app once your age had been set. Now, to change your date of birth on TikTok, if it’s inaccurate, you’ll need to contact the app’s customer support team. Recently the app makers now set the age limit to 13 years old are eligible to use TikTok and over 18+ only send gifts to their favorite creators.
Now, the new policy is implemented and some users who just signup for just for fun and did not enter the accurate information can’t share the same privileges. Some users are shadowbanned and they are not able to feature on For You page as well. To fix all of the problems you have to change your date of birth (DOB) and have to give accurate information to the TikTok support team. In this process, the support team might ask you to provide any government documentation as evidence to verify your real age. Then they really can be sure if you are eligible.
Step-by-Step guide to change the age on TikTok
While you can easily change your username and profile picture on TikTok any time you like, it’s no longer possible to alter your TikTok birthday from the app controls. To change your age on TikTok, you’ll need to contact the app’s customer support and request a birthday update. Here are some easy steps to follow :
Step 1: Open the TikTok app on your smart device and tap Me in the lower-right corner.
Step 2: Tap the ellipsis in the top-right corner.
Step 3: Scroll down the menu and click on Report a problem option.
Step 4: Click on Account and Profile.
Step 5: Now, press the Editing Profile option and then tap on Other.
Step 6: Click on Still have a problem.
Step 7: In the provided field, type something along the lines of “I need to update my birthday on my account as the current date is incorrect. I can share some ID to prove my actual birthday” and select Report.
Step8: Within the next day or two, you should receive an email from TikTok support at the email address associated with your account. The representative should ask for a photo of some government ID that proves your birthday. After you send it to them, they will hopefully update your TikTok birthday with the new date.
Age Restriction On TikTok
The minimum age for a TikTok user is 13 years old. While this is great news for younger users, it’s important to note that TikTok doesn’t use any age verification tools when new users sign up. That means, if your child signs up for a new account without your knowledge, they’ll have access to explicit and inappropriate content without restriction.
With a feature called Family Pairing, parents can link their child’s account to their own where they can control direct messages, set screen time limits, and turn on/off restricted content directly from their phone. Parents will also receive a notification if any of the settings are changed or turned off from their child’s phone. Similar to any social media platform, posting videos and pictures regularly leave the child open to negative reactions and harsh comments. This can have a huge impact on your child’s self-esteem, body image, and confidence.
In some instances, it can lead to depression, anxiety, and even eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. While those are extreme cases, young users and even influencers on the platform have expressed concerns over the negative comments they receive and how it affects their daily lives.
How to turn on 18+ restricted mode on TikTok?
1. Open the Tik Tok App
2. Tap on the Profile icon
3. Tab on the three lines in the top right corner
4. A Setting and privacy window will open
5. Now scroll until you find “Content & Activity”
6. Tap On “Digital Wellbeing“
7. Now tap on “Restricted Mode”
8. Restricted Mode Window will open
9. Tap on the red button saying “Turn on Restricted Mode“
10. Now the Restricted Mode is active on your TikTok.
Create New TikTok Account
Another potential strategy would be to create a new TikTok account with a parent or guardian, which you could manage together. So, to create a new TikTok account, follow the simple steps mentioned below :
- Open the TikTok app.
- Press the Me button at the bottom-right of the screen.
- Choose a method to sign up.
- Follow the app’s instructions.
- Users can also sign up using another social media account, like Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, or you can create an account using your email address and phone number.
Conclusion
TikTok is a mix of music, lip sync videos, comedy, and micro-blog content, it is not an easy platform to understand at first glance. It has even led to the growth of the competitor platform Triller, which aims to take some of the attention away from the app. Among TikTok’s greatest strengths is the sense of community felt by its users. That’s demonstrated by the viral challenges users take part in. The ability to sample others’ content and add to it also helps users build stronger connections.
