Guardian's guide

Teens don’t expect adults to know every app. They value help with setting up accounts. This includes checking and understanding privacy and safety settings. Teens want parents to set boundaries; they expect and welcome them! Safety tools such as our Family Pairing features help families set important parameters as teens start out online.

Teens want trusted adults to care about their digital lives. They appreciate knowing they have someone to talk to. Don’t hesitate to start a conversation. Teens like hearing that you understand things can go wrong online and that you’ll be there to help, no matter how big or small the problem.

When your teen comes to you for help, that’s great! They might feel scared, embarrassed, or upset. Show them you’re glad they reached out. Be mindful of your reaction; teens said anger makes them avoid asking for help again. They don’t want adults to downplay their worries, even if you don’t fully understand them. Listen openly, ask questions, and focus on solutions. If they’ve broken rules, teens expect consequences but also want help to avoid similar mistakes in the future.

Teens know trust must be earned. They expect adult oversight, especially for younger teens. Like in the “real” world, teens feel they deserve more autonomy online as they grow older. Every teen is unique, and their pace toward independent tech use will differ. If your teen knows how to navigate platforms safely and seeks your help when things go wrong, that's a solid foundation for trust.

Balancing a teen’s privacy with safety is one of parenting’s toughest challenges, both online and offline. It can be hard when a teen asks you not to follow them online. You might worry they’re up to something, but they likely just want space to hang out with friends. If you feel following their account is necessary, teens want to understand your reasons. They’re open to discussing ways to build trust. Older teens often feel protective of younger siblings and cousins, so consider if there’s someone else who your teen would be comfortable having follow them instead.

• In most parts of the world, you must be at least 13 years old to use TikTok. In the U.S., we offer a curated, view-only experience for those under 13 years old that includes additional safeguards and privacy protections. For more information, visit our Children's Privacy Policy.
• To support our efforts to provide an age-appropriate experience, we encourage you to talk to your teen about the importance of providing their real date of birth.

If we believe someone under 13 years old (or 14 in Indonesia, Quebec, and South Korea) has a TikTok account, we'll ban their account. You also have the option to report an account if you believe it may belong to someone under the minimum age to use TikTok.

• If your teen is mistakenly banned for being under the minimum age, we'll ask them to confirm their age to show they're old enough to use the app. They'll have 113 days (or 180 days if located in the European Economic Area (EEA), or 23 days if located in the U.S.) from the date their account is banned to submit an appeal or download their data.
• It's important your teen shares their actual date of birth to ensure we can provide them with an age-appropriate experience. Learn more about underage appeals in our Help Center.

All accounts for teens under 18 years old start out as private. Teens can choose to make their account public, and if you've linked your accounts, you can change this choice by using Family Pairing.

Direct messaging, including group chat (in select regions), isn't available to teens under 16 years old. Learn more about direct messages in our Help Center.

In addition, your teen has the option to:

• Adjust their settings to manage who can comment on their posts and Stories. Learn more about managing comments in our Help Center.
• Block others so specific people can't view their posts or engage with them on TikTok.

Visit our Teen Safety Center guide to learn more about how your teen can manage their privacy on TikTok.

You must be at least 18 years old to go LIVE on TikTok and to send and receive Gifts. Learn more in our LIVE safety guide.

You must be at least 18 years old to use TikTok Shop, where available.