Social media platforms have long faced criticism for their addictive nature, especially among younger users. TikTok is now taking steps to address these concerns with new features aimed at encouraging healthier usage habits for teens, even as the platform faces potential ban legislation in the United States.
New Wind Down Feature Targets Late-Night Scrolling
TikTok has introduced a new wind down feature specifically designed for users under 16 years old. After 10PM, teens will receive a full-screen reminder encouraging them to stop using the app. This intervention will include calming music to help teens relax and be mindful of the time. While users can initially dismiss this notification, TikTok will display a second, more persistent prompt if teens continue scrolling. The company plans to enhance this feature in the coming weeks by incorporating meditation exercises into these reminders, potentially offering genuine mental health benefits beyond simply limiting screen time.
TikTok's New Features for Teen Users:
- Wind down reminder activates after 10PM for users under 16
- Includes calming music and planned meditation exercises
- Two-stage prompt system allows initial dismissal but follows up
- Family Pairing enhancements:
- Time Away scheduling feature
- Parent visibility into teen's followers/following
- Parent visibility into blocked accounts
- Age verification through machine learning and telecom partnerships
Enhanced Parental Controls Through Family Pairing
Alongside the wind-down feature, TikTok is expanding its Family Pairing capabilities to give parents more oversight and control over their children's app usage. The new Time Away feature allows parents or guardians to establish specific schedules during which their teens cannot access the platform. Additionally, parents will gain visibility into who their teen is following, who follows them, and which accounts their child has blocked—providing unprecedented transparency into their digital social circles.
Age Verification Efforts Continue
TikTok emphasized its ongoing commitment to preventing children under 13 from accessing the platform. The company is leveraging machine learning technology for age assurance and has partnered with telecom provider Telefonica to explore using phone provider age information for verification purposes. This approach mirrors recent efforts by Google, which has also begun implementing machine learning to estimate users' ages across its services.
Effectiveness Remains to Be Seen
While TikTok claims that the vast majority of teens have kept the reminder enabled in countries where it has been piloted, questions remain about how effective these measures will be in practice. Some research suggests mindfulness reminders can have positive effects—a 2020 study found that mindfulness meditations can decrease stress, while a 2021 study indicated teens experienced reduced anxiety and negative thinking when using meditation apps. However, since teens can ultimately opt to ignore these prompts, their real-world impact may be limited.
Balancing User Engagement and Wellbeing
These new features represent TikTok's attempt to address growing concerns about social media's impact on teen mental health while maintaining user engagement. By incorporating calming music and meditation rather than simply cutting off access, TikTok is taking a nuanced approach that acknowledges both the platform's addictive nature and its importance in teens' social lives. Whether this represents a genuine commitment to user wellbeing or simply a strategic move amid increasing regulatory scrutiny remains to be seen.