TikTok: Privacy rules are changing for youngest users
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The social media app TikTok has made some big changes to its privacy rules which they say aim to protect its youngest users.
It's changed the default privacy settings for those aged 13-15, making their accounts automatically private.
Similar to the platform Instagram, when a user has a private TikTok account, it means children have to approve a follower before they're able to view the videos they post - and will only allow friends to post comments.
It also means the Duet and Stitch features will only be available for over-16s and downloading videos made by under-16 won't be allowed.
The company says it wants to give younger users the option to "make informed choices about what and with whom they choose to share" and this also includes whether they want to make their accounts public or not.
What else is changing to help keep younger users safe?
TikTok has also announced a number of other controls it's brought in to help make the app safer for its younger users.
TikTok has introduced a number of new restrictions to protect Under 16s using the app
These include:
Restricting who can comment on their videos - users will be able to choose whether their 'Friends' or 'No One' can comment on their account, but the option for 'Everyone' to comment will no longer be available to under 16s
Changes to the Duet and Stitch settings - these popular features will only be available to users aged 16 and over. The default setting is also changing to 'Friends' for those aged 16-17
Changes to the rules on downloads - users will only be able to download videos created by content creators aged 16 and over. For those aged 16-17, the default setting will now be changed to 'Off', although they can still enable downloads
The "Suggest your account to others" will be automatically set to 'Off' for users ages 13-15
"As young people start their digital journey, we believe it's important to provide them with age-appropriate privacy settings and controls," said Europe's Head of Privacy Elaine Fox on Tiktok's latest changes.
She said the company's most recent changes are aimed at "driving higher default standards for user privacy and safety".
What have internet safety experts said?
Internet safety experts have welcomed the changes TikTok has made to its privacy rules and have called on other companies to do more.
Andy Burrows, who is the head of child safety online policy at the NSPCC, said: "This is a bold package of measures by TikTok and a hugely welcome step."
He believes the changes could help protect children who are spending a lot more time online during the current lockdown.
American non-profit ConnectSafely, which educates people on the importance of safety, privacy and security online, has also responded positively to TikTok's most recent changes.
"When it comes to social media, one size does not fit all. For example, there is a big difference in the maturity of young teens and older teens and it's important that be reflected in privacy settings," said the company's CEO Larry Magrid.
"TikTok's recent privacy updates honour these differences by placing age-appropriate defaults on teens' account settings that provide an extra layer of protection for younger teens and a greater amount of freedom for older teens."
What has TikTok previously done about privacy?
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TikTok has previously made several other changes to its rules surrounding privacy for children and young people.
Last year, it introduced new features to allow parents to have more control over what their children view and who can access their content on the app.
It also introduced restrictions to prevent under 16s from either sending or receiving direct messages and limited the buying, sending, and receiving of virtual gifts to users over the age of 18.
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