TikTok removes more than 7 Million accounts of underage users in first quarter, the first disclosure of such numbers
- TikTok said it removed 11.1 million accounts, and 7.26 million were suspected of belonging to underage users
- Platforms need parental permission to collect data on kids under the age of 13 in the US, but many lie about their age to create accounts
Of more than 11.1 million accounts that were removed for violating the app’s guidelines, 7.26 million of them were from users suspected of being under the age guidelines, the company said in a blog post on Wednesday. It was the first time TikTok published the number of underage accounts it expunged.
In the US, internet sites are required to obtain parental permission before collecting data on children under 13, according to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. But many kids fudge their age and create accounts anyway across social media sites from Instagram to YouTube.
Since then, TikTok has adjusted several features to make the platform safer for its fans. About two years ago it launched a dedicated section on the app for children 12 and under called TikTok for Younger Users. The space offers “a curated viewing experience with additional safeguards and privacy protections”, according to the company. The walled-off portion of the app doesn’t permit sharing personal information, puts limitations on displayed content and also doesn’t allow its users to post videos or comments.
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Other age-accommodative changes include a new default privacy setting for accounts age 13-15, launched in January, that requires teenage users to approve followers to view their videos. Last August the company also introduced a new Family Pairing setting to allow parents to monitor and control their children’s screen time on the app.
