TikTok's New Age Check: A Step Towards Safer Teen Use?

TikTok is introducing a new way to check users' ages in Europe. This move aims to keep kids under 13 off the platform. The app will use different clues to guess if a user is too young. These clues include what the user posts and how they act on the app. If the app thinks a user might be under 13, a person will review the account and decide if it should be removed. Users can challenge this decision. They can show a government ID, a credit card, or use facial age estimation to prove they are old enough. TikTok says this new system follows EU privacy laws. It promises that the info collected for age checks will only be used for that purpose.Even after passing the age check, TikTok will still protect teens. It will filter out inappropriate content and limit certain features for them. For example, teens under 16 can't send direct messages. Also, those under 18 have a 60-minute screen time limit and won't get notifications after bedtime. This announcement comes as regulators worldwide discuss teen social media use. In Australia, there's a ban on under-16s using social media. In Britain, the Prime Minister is considering a similar ban. He's worried about kids using smartphones too much. This shows that tech companies and governments are both trying to figure out how to keep teens safe online.