TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among younger users. However, TikTok’s terms of service require users to be at least 13 years old to create an account. So what happens if someone under 13 signs up for TikTok?
TikTok’s age policy
According to TikTok’s Terms of Service, the minimum age to use TikTok is 13. Here is the relevant excerpt from TikTok’s Terms of Service:
You must be at least 13 years old to use the Services. If you are at least 13 years old but are not old enough to have authority to agree to our Terms in your jurisdiction, your parent or guardian must agree to our Terms on your behalf.
This age cutoff is common for social media platforms and is likely intended to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a U.S. law that imposes certain requirements on websites or online services directed at children under 13.
What happens if you sign up under 13
If someone under the age of 13 attempts to sign up for TikTok by providing a false birthdate, here are some things that may happen:
- Account deletion: TikTok will delete the underage account if they are able to verify that the user is under 13.
- Limited functionality: Underage accounts may have limited functionality on TikTok.
- Parent permission required: TikTok may try to get parental consent to allow the underage user to continue using a restricted account.
- Bans for repeated violations: Users who repeatedly try to create underage accounts may be banned from the platform.
- No data collection from underage users: To comply with COPPA, TikTok claims they do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13.
TikTok states in their Privacy Policy:
When we learn that personal information from a child under 13 has been collected on our apps, we take steps to delete the information as soon as possible.
How TikTok detects underage users
TikTok uses a combination of methods to try to detect and block underage users from signing up, including:
- Asking for date of birth during signup
- Using AI and algorithms to estimate age based on account activities
- Allowing users to report underage accounts
- Removing accounts with young-looking profile photos
- Analyzing user posts and comments for maturity of content
- Looking for indicators like being linked to childrens’ email accounts
While these methods are not foolproof, they do enable TikTok to identify and take action against many underage accounts.
Risks of using TikTok under 13
There are a few potential risks that come with using TikTok if you are under 13 years old:
- Account deletion: As mentioned above, TikTok will delete accounts belonging to underage users if discovered.
- Exposure to inappropriate content: There is some mature content on TikTok that may be inappropriate for very young users.
- Cyberbullying: Like any social media platform, underage users may be more susceptible to cyberbullying on TikTok.
- Privacy risks: Users under 13 may unknowingly share personal information that puts their privacy at risk.
- Interacting with strangers: Underage users may not exercise enough caution interacting with unknown adults on TikTok.
For these reasons, many experts recommend that children under 13 do not use TikTok and that parents closely supervise teenagers 13-17 when using the app.
TikTok’s safety features for younger users
Recognizing that some under 13 users may still find ways onto the platform, TikTok has implemented some safety features specifically for younger audiences:
- Younger User account default: Accounts with birthdays showing users under 16 have more restrictions like direct messaging disabled.
- Restricted mode: Limites exposure to inappropriate content.
- Screen time management: Parents can control screen time settings.
- Direct messaging controls: Users under 16 have direct messaging disabled by default.
- Restricted search: Limites search results displaying inappropriate content.
However, these controls have limitations and do not guarantee a completely safe experience for kids under 13 on TikTok. The only way for parents to be sure their young child is protected is not allowing them to use the app.
Educational content on TikTok
While TikTok is primarily an entertainment app, there is some educational content available that could provide value to users under 13 in a controlled environment.
Here are some examples of educational content finding an audience on TikTok:
- Science experiments
- Math and physics lessons
- Historical facts
- Geography and culture tips
- Language learning
- Cooking and baking how-tos
- Art and craft tutorials
- Music lessons
- Dance tutorials
- Fitness and health advice
Younger users with supervision may be able to learn valuable skills and information from vetted educational content on TikTok. However, unsupervised underage users are unlikely to only be viewing useful educational material on the platform.
TikTok’s COPPA compliance
As mentioned earlier, TikTok’s age restrictions are designed to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Here’s some more background on how TikTok complies with COPPA:
- Does not knowingly collect data from underage users
- Requires parental consent for users under 13
- Has safeguards in place for inadvertent underage data collection
- Provides parental oversight features like screen time limits
- Posts a clear online privacy policy explaining data practices
- Is subject to FTC enforcement actions for violations
TikTok also claims that all data from underage US users is stored on servers in the US. Overall, they aim to comply with COPPA standards for protecting children’s privacy.
TikTok content guidelines
In addition to its age requirements, TikTok also has content moderation policies prohibiting certain types of content. These guidelines also impact underage users who may find inappropriate content on the app. Here are some things prohibited by TikTok’s content policy:
- Nudity or sexually explicit content
- Harmful or dangerous acts
- Hate speech, harassment, or bullying
- Illegal activities
- Dangerous individuals or organizations
- Violent or gory content
- Misinformation that causes harm
TikTok uses a mix of machine learning and human moderators to enforce these content policies and remove any inappropriate posts. However, some inappropriate content can slip through which underage users may encounter.
Signs your child is using TikTok underage
If you have concerns that your under 13 child may be using TikTok, here are some warning signs to look out for:
- You find TikTok installed on their smartphone or tablet
- You hear them mention using TikTok or referencing videos from it
- They are creating short music videos or doing viral TikTok dance challenges
- You see a TikTok notification on their device
- Their screen time usage spikes, especially late at night
- They suddenly seem to know about trending memes and music on TikTok
- They ask you about creating a TikTok account
If you observe any of these warning signs, it may be time to have an open discussion about TikTok and reinforce that they should not be using it until age 13.
Setting parental controls on TikTok
If your child is 13+ and you allow them to use TikTok but still have concerns, TikTok does offer some parental control options you can set, including:
- Restricted mode – Limits mature content
- Screen time limits – Caps daily time on TikTok
- Restricted search – Limits search results to curated content
- Comments filter – Filters out inappropriate comments
- Direct message restriction – Disables messaging with strangers
Enabling these restrictions can help create a safer TikTok experience for teenagers under your supervision. However, the best way to protect under 13 users is not allowing them on the app at all.
Consequences of violating TikTok’s age policy
While some underage users are able to fly under the radar, there can be consequences if TikTok detects someone is violating their minimum age rules. These consequences could include:
- Account deletion
- Being banned from creating a new account
- Legal penalties – TikTok could theoretically sue underage users or parents who falsified age, although unlikely
- Children’s privacy violations – Both TikTok and parents could face FTC fines for COPPA violations
- Cyberbullying or predator exposure – Underage users may encounter inappropriate behavior from strangers on the app
The main goal of TikTok’s age requirement is to protect young children from these types of consequences and create a safer environment for teenagers 13-17 with parental consent.
Conclusion
TikTok can be a fun and creative outlet for users 13 and up, but it poses some risks for those underage. TikTok bans accounts belonging to kids under 13 if discovered. But the platform relies heavily on user reporting and imperfect AI to find underage users. While TikTok aims to be COPPA compliant, children’s privacy groups argue it still poses “significant risks” to young users’ data privacy and mental health. Ultimately, parents should exercise caution and avoid allowing children under 13 to use TikTok. With proper parental controls and supervision, the app may provide some positive value to teenagers 13-17.