TikTok Enhances Family Pairing Feature: More Control, More Transparency for Parents

ISLAMABAD: TikTok has launched expanded parental control features and well-being tools aimed at helping families cultivate healthier digital habits for teens. These new updates, part of TikTok’s ongoing efforts for online safety, strengthen the Family Pairing feature, offering parents more oversight while promoting responsible and mindful screen time for younger users.

The latest updates include:

• Time Away Scheduling – Parents can set customized screen-free periods (such as during school hours, bedtime, or weekends). While teens can request extra time, parents maintain the final say.
• Teen Network Visibility – Parents can now see who their teen follows, who follows them, and whose accounts they have blocked, encouraging open conversations about online interactions.
• Proactive Reporting Alerts – Soon, when a teen reports content that may breach TikTok’s Community Guidelines, they will have the option to notify a trusted adult, even if Family Pairing is not activated.

These updates make Family Pairing more robust, offering over 15 customizable safety, privacy, and well-being options that allow parents to tailor their teen’s TikTok experience.

Promoting Healthier Digital Habits for Teens

To help teens establish more mindful screen time habits, TikTok is introducing a Wind-Down feature for users under 16. If they stay active on TikTok past 10 PM, their For You feed will be interrupted with a full-screen reminder and calming music to encourage them to log off. If they continue scrolling, a second, more persistent prompt will appear.TikTok to combat misinformation ahead of Election

Initial trials show that most teens choose to keep these reminders enabled, demonstrating the feature’s effectiveness in encouraging positive digital behaviors. In the coming weeks, TikTok will test meditation exercises within this feature, as research indicates that mindful meditation can improve sleep quality.

“At TikTok, safety is at the core of everything we do. These new updates are part of our continuous commitment to providing families with the tools they need to support healthy digital habits. By enhancing Family Pairing, building stronger industry partnerships, and introducing innovative well-being features, we’re ensuring that young users can explore, create, and connect in a safe and positive online environment,” said a TikTok spokesperson.

Industry Partnerships Enhancing Online Safety Standards

TikTok is working closely with global leaders to strengthen age assurance and digital safety across the industry. The platform is committed to enforcing its age rules and adding more ways to verify the ages of its users. TikTok continues to use technology, including machine learning, to prevent children under 13 from accessing the platform and ensure teens have an age-appropriate experience.

In partnership with Telefónica, TikTok is also exploring mobile service provider-based age verification to enhance authentication and security measures.

Furthermore, TikTok is an active participant in the Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Age Assurance, collaborating with the Centre for Information Policy Leadership and the WeProtect Global Alliance to develop best practices for age verification across digital platforms.

As part of its dedication to prioritizing young voices in platform improvements, TikTok is expanding its Global Youth Council for 2025. After a successful first year, the council—launched in 2023—was designed to elevate teen perspectives and improve their experiences on the platform. The Youth Council plays a crucial role in shaping TikTok’s safety, well-being, and inclusivity policies, ensuring the platform evolves in line with the needs and experiences of young users worldwide.

With these updates, TikTok is reaffirming its commitment to digital safety and well-being by offering enhanced supervision tools, promoting healthier online habits for teens, and strengthening partnerships with safety experts. These efforts underscore the platform’s ongoing work to create a safer and more supportive digital space for families.