The ‘For You’ tab shows videos from accounts the app thinks the user will enjoy. The ‘Following’ tab shows videos from accounts the user follows. Users can ‘duet’ with another user’s video so both videos are played next to each other. They can also shop and livestream on TikTok.
Users aged under 16 have their accounts automatically set to private and so only people they approve can follow them, view their profile or watch their videos (but this can be changed). Under 18 accounts have a default 60-minute viewing time and then must enter a passcode to continue using the app (but this time can be changed) . A user aged 18 or above can livestream and can pay to send virtual gifts to a video.
TikTok’s parental controls are called ‘Family Pairing’. With a child’s agreement, parents can manage their child’s use of the app including privacy and safety settings, restricting adult content, the ability to search and controlling who can send their child direct messages. They can also set a screen time limit and prevent notifications at certain times. TikTok has safety settings that prevent other people from tagging them or from downloading their videos for example.
