TikTok, one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, has introduced a new feature called Family Pairing to allow parents to prevent their underage children from using the app at specific hours, as well as to view follower and following lists. With the aim of enhancing online safety for young users and promoting healthy digital habits, TikTok has added new parental control features to its platform. These innovations aim to offer parents the opportunity to closely monitor their children’s social media interactions, while also aiming to make young users’ usage times and online behaviors more controlled. One of the new features enables parents to access their children’s follower and follow lists. This system helps families understand who their children are communicating with in the online environment. Parents can use this data to identify potential risks from the list, anticipate situations where their children may come into contact with inappropriate content, and intervene when necessary.

“Time Away” Feature for Time Management
Introduced to maintain a balance in digital life, the “Time Away” feature allows parents to restrict access to TikTok during specific time periods. This feature aims to balance young users’ social media usage by restricting access during priority periods such as school hours, family time, dinner time, or bedtime. By preventing children from spending too much time online, parents can contribute to managing digital habits in a healthy way. The new control mechanism offered by TikTok is not limited to access restrictions only. The platform aims to balance young users’ daily usage times and reduce digital fatigue with tools such as screen time limits and the “wind-down” mode. These tools help establish a healthier foundation for children’s digital habits by monitoring the time children spend in front of screens.

What is the Wind-Down Mode?
TikTok’s “Wind-Down” mode is a feature developed especially to support the sleep schedules of young users and balance their digital habits during night hours. This mode automatically activates after 10:00 PM for users under 16 and displays a screen notification encouraging users to sleep. With relaxing music and a calming atmosphere, it creates awareness for users to limit screen usage. Additionally, it helps establish a healthier sleep routine by providing suggestions like breathing exercises. TikTok has announced that this mode will evolve in the future with features such as meditation exercises.

Setting an Example for Other Platforms
As TikTok enhances parental control features, they emphasize their attention to the privacy of young users. Through detailed reporting and control options for parents, families can transparently monitor their children’s online interactions and take timely action against potential risks. This step not only strengthens TikTok’s commitment to safety for families but also highlights the importance of conscious and secure use of the digital environment. These innovations stand out as a tangible indicator of TikTok’s strategy to provide a safer digital experience for young users. In the context of new approaches adopted by social media platforms towards family safety and digital health, TikTok’s initiative could pave the way for future similar practices in the industry.