TikTok offers a special timer for minors that will lock the app when browsing videos on the platform for more than an hour a day. You can continue viewing only if you enter a password. The measure will take effect in the coming weeks.
With Timer, the company is responding to criticism that the app is too addictive for teens. TikTok says users under the age of 18 should “actively choose” to continue watching the timer, and this will help them keep their use in check.
This isn’t the first measure TikTok has taken to limit screen time. The app previously presented a warning to users that they were now spending too much time on TikTok.
100 minutes
Teens can choose not to use the 60-minute timer, but in this case if they watch 100 minutes of video per day on TikTok, they will still be asked to set a timer. Minors also get weekly overviews of their TikTok usage.
Parents or guardians who monitor their child’s app usage via a linked profile will soon be able to set a timer themselves. They also take a look at the time their kids spend on TikTok.
sense of responsibility
The consumer association had previously criticized TikTok. The organization said the data collected will be used for targeted advertising, and it’s unclear whether that data will be deleted when a profile is deleted.
A spokesperson for the consumer association told ANP news agency that he likes the timer but wonders if kids have enough sense of responsibility to reduce their screen time. He believes that parents play an important role in this.
distrust of the west
The video platform comes with a timer at a time when many Western countries are raising major concerns about child safety, privacy in the app, and China’s impact on TikTok. The fact that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance is originally from China raises fears that China may have access to European user data, among other things.
Distrust of the app has meant that more and more officials in EU bodies are no longer allowed to use TikTok on their work devices. The app has also been banned on government phones and devices in Canada and the United States, among others. In the Netherlands, the majority of the House of Representatives believes that civil servants should no longer have this app on their work phones.
Source: NOS
Jason Jack is an experienced technology journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in computer science and engineering, he has a deep understanding of the latest technology trends and developments. He writes about a wide range of technology topics, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, software development, and cybersecurity.
