TIKTOK: If you are under 16 you will not be able to do this
The famous short video app TikTok, which has already entered the select group of applications with more than one billion downloads, made a completely unexpected gesture and banned users under the age of 16 from using the app's private messaging.
Before, it was enough for two accounts to follow each other so that they could talk to each other in private. From now on, if any of the accounts are managed by someone under the age of 16, there will be no possible way to do it, according to a press release of the brand. However, this block is based on the date of birth that we put when creating the app, and it's not verified by it, at least so far. That is to say a priori someone might be lying during registration to continue using this feature.
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That is to say that the children could very probably create new accounts by lying on the registration form, but they would not be able to change the enrollment date of their current accounts, losing any progress they have made in the app to date.
Private messages are now limited to only users over 16
“This has been a key TikTok movement because we know that the toilets [that's what they call people who harass minors] use direct messaging apps to contact large numbers of children " at indicated to the BBC Andy Burrows, a spokesperson for the UK Society. for the prevention of cruelty to children. "This shows that measures can be proposed to make websites more secure and prevent the gromers to harass kids [??] It's time for tech companies to identify which users are kids and make sure they are. security settings from the start. '
On TikTok, however, the percentage of older children from 12 to 15 years old is relatively low: 13% of users would be in this range, according to a survey carried out in 2019. However, in some countries, 80% of users Children over 8 years old have a Facebook account, which could become a very dangerous situation.
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TikTok was already well known before the coronavirus. However, and due to the confinements, the number of users has grown very quickly. Not only adults, but also children, who in many cases are at home without classes or with much more relaxed schedules, and who undoubtedly have much more access to smartphones during this time. Now, it has become the first app to block one of its most important features for minors.
The update that will prevent minors from engaging in conversations with other people - even with other children - will roll out throughout the day, the statement said. However, this will only be the 30 April that this measure will start to work, when the private messaging option will be removed for all users under the age of 16.
Related subjects: TikTok
