Toni Hobrecht
Social media platform TikTok has announced new features for teenagers and families, including a 60-minute daily screen limit for all users under the age of 18. The limit is automatically set to one hour per account. But you can also opt out and set your own limits.
More screen time management features are in development. This includes a reminder for users without a 60-minute limit if they’ve spent more than 100 minutes on TikTok. Parents can control the limits, add a password and extend the periods by 30 minutes at a time.
The screen time project is based on current scientific research. TikTok also consulted with experts at Boston Children’s Hospital’s Digital Wellness Lab, which is how the 60-minute limit came about. You can also set different limits for different days of the week. Additionally, there’s a screen time dashboard that provides details on the time spent in the app, the number of times the app has been viewed, and a breakdown of the total time spent.
Parents can also set further limits and, for example, mute notifications. Currently, users under the age of 15 do not receive push notifications after 9:00 p.m. For 16-17 year olds they will be deactivated after 22:00. Finally, TikTok also brings sleep reminders for everyone. You can set a time when a pop-up reminds you to log out, put down your phone and go to bed.
