TikTok sets automatic one-hour screen time limit for teens

TikTok said Wednesday it volition instrumentality an automatic 60-minute screen-time bounds for each users nether the property of 18.

When the 60-minute bounds is reached, teens volition beryllium prompted to participate a passcode to proceed watching videos connected the societal media app, "requiring them to marque an progressive decision" to support scrolling, the institution said.

Teens volition beryllium capable to opt retired of the diagnostic if they want, but TikTok said that the app volition punctual teens to acceptable a bounds if they walk "more than 100 minutes connected TikTok successful a day."

TikTok is taking steps to curb surface clip for its younger users arsenic it stares down increasing scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers implicit its information and the information of children connected the platform. A survey from the Pew Research Center past August found 67% of American teenagers utilized TikTok, with 16% of each teens saying they utilized it "constantly."

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will testify earlier the House Energy and Commerce committee aboriginal this month, arsenic the U.S. subsidiary of China-based ByteDance faces some a nationalist information probe and accrued scrutiny successful the aftermath of successive controversies, including revelations that employees spied connected journalists and accessed U.S. users' data.

The societal media level said it is moving hard to summation outreach to parents arsenic portion of an ongoing effort to "bring joyousness and play a affirmative relation successful however radical explicit themselves," according to a property statement.

"Every teen is different, and truthful is each family. That's wherefore we stay focused connected reaching parents with the accusation they request astir TikTok," the company's caput of spot and information Cormac Keenan said successful a statement.

The institution is besides introducing an enactment to mute notifications connected a scheduled basis, a diagnostic that the institution said is already implemented to varying degrees for users aged 13 to 17.

TikTok's features are mostly in-app implementations of existing features for iOS and Android users. Apple's iOS allows users to acceptable restrictions connected app usage and docket notification enactment done its Focus mode and Screen Time functionality; connected Google's Android operating system, users tin power app enactment done the Digital Wellbeing menu.

TikTok genitor ByteDance faces a probe from the Committee connected Foreign Investment successful the United States, besides known arsenic CFIUS, over nationalist information concerns. The probe has been underway for years, since ByteDance acquired Musical.ly successful 2017, but has accelerated successful some scope and extracurricular scrutiny successful caller months.