TikTok
Family Pairing and Restricted Mode.
⏱ Takes about 5 minutes
Why bother?
TikTok's For You feed is the most aggressive rabbit hole on the internet — it can show a kid eating-disorder or self-harm content within 30 minutes. Family Pairing lets you set limits and turn on filters they can't override.
Do this, in order
- 1
On YOUR phone, install TikTok
Sign up. You only need to do this once. - 2
Profile → ☰ menu → Settings and privacy → Family Pairing
Tap Parent. - 3
Scan the QR code with your teen's TikTok
Have them open Settings and privacy → Family Pairing → Teen → scan. - 4
Set Daily Screen Time
60 or 90 minutes is a fair start. They can't change it without your code. - 5
Turn on Restricted Mode
Filters out a lot (not all) of adult/harmful content. - 6
Set Direct Messages → No one
If your teen is under 16 this is already on. Check anyway. - 7
Set Who can comment on your videos → Friends
Kills random-stranger harassment. - 8
Refresh For You feed often
Tap and hold a video → Not Interested. The feed quickly stops pushing junk. - 9
Bonus: install SafeGuard
It blocks the For You feed entirely on the browser version.
You did it. 🎉
Tell your kid you set this up, and why. It works way better when it's not a secret.