According to the terms and conditions of TikTok, users have to be at least 13 years old in order to open an account and set up their own profile.
However, that does not mean that anyone aged 13 or over has free reign on the platform.
TikTok boasts a series of community guidelines which are in place to protect users of all ages and backgrounds. These include a series of age restrictions which are designed to protect younger users in particular.
Age Restrictions on TikTok
- Users have to be at 13 years old to open an account.
- Users must be 16 years or over to use and send direct messages on TikTok.
- Users under the age of 16 are automatically switched to a private account.
- Users cannot go live on TikTok until they are 18 years old.
- Users also cannot buy coins, send gifts, or access any monetising features on TikTok until they are 18.
In addition to these set restrictions, TikTok has a series of content filters in place which prevent certain themes, topics, and types of content from being shown to younger users. And it enables users to report and draw attention to those users who they believe are younger than they say.
How Does TikTok Know Your Age?
The answer to this is simple. When you set up your TikTok profile, the platform asks you for your birthday.
If you need to change your birthday for whatever reason – for example if you set the wrong birth date accidentally – you will need to prove your age with appropriate identification.
All of these restrictions are in place to protect users and to ensure that TikTok remains a safe place for people to interact and engage online.
