TikTok Introduces New Features to Enhance Teen Safety and Digital Well-Being
March 12, 2025TikTok, the world’s leading short-form video platform, has introduced new safety and well-being features to help teens develop healthier digital habits while giving parents more control over their online experience. With these updates, caregivers can now manage over 15 safety, privacy, and screen time settings directly through the TikTok app.
Stronger Parental Controls with Family Pairing
First launched in 2020, Family Pairing allows parents to link their TikTok accounts with their teen’s, enabling better oversight. Building on its existing tools—such as screen time limits and privacy controls—TikTok’s latest updates have been developed based on feedback from families and experts to ensure a safer and more balanced digital experience.
Time Away: Managing Screen Time More Effectively
To help parents limit excessive screen time, TikTok has introduced the Time Away feature, allowing caregivers to block access to TikTok during specific hours, such as bedtime, school hours, or family time. Parents can set recurring schedules and extend usage if needed through a passcode-protected system. This feature builds on TikTok’s default screen time restrictions, where users under 18 automatically have a 60-minute daily limit, which can only be adjusted by a parent or guardian.
More Visibility into Teen Interactions
Another key update gives parents better insight into their teen’s social interactions on TikTok. They can now see who their teen follows, who follows them, and which accounts they have blocked, ensuring greater awareness and control over their teen’s online safety.
Encouraging Better Sleep Habits
Recognizing the importance of healthy sleep routines, TikTok has introduced a wind-down mode for users under 16. If a teen is still active on TikTok after 10 p.m., their For You feed will be interrupted by full-screen reminders with calming music, which become increasingly harder to dismiss, encouraging them to log off.
As part of its broader commitment to mindful screen time, TikTok will soon introduce guided meditation exercises to help users relax and improve sleep quality. The platform has already disabled nighttime push notifications for teens to reduce digital distractions before bed.
Bringing Back the STEM Feed for Learning
Parents can now re-enable the STEM feed if their teen has turned it off. Originally launched in the U.S. and Europe, the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) feed provides educational and inspiring content. With nearly 10 million STEM-related videos published worldwide, this feature is now available in over 100 countries, helping teens explore topics like geology, ancient history, and scientific discoveries in their local language.
TikTok’s Ongoing Commitment to Digital Well-Being
These updates reflect TikTok’s ongoing efforts to create a safer and more positive environment for young users. By continuously improving its Family Pairing and Teen Safety features, TikTok aims to empower families with the tools they need to encourage responsible digital habits while ensuring a more secure online experience for teens.
