Statement on TikTok's New Family Pairing Features

Statement from Jill Murphy, Chief Content Officer, Common Sense Media:

"Common Sense Media welcomes TikTok's enhanced family safety features as a step in the right direction for teen digital wellbeing. The new Time Away feature, network visibility tools, and wind down reminders address many concerns parents have raised about social media's impact on adolescent development.

We want to emphasize that technical solutions are one piece of the puzzle. Parental Controls are not "set-it-and-forget-it" solutions. Research consistently shows that open, ongoing conversations between parents and teens about digital media use are essential for developing healthy habits. These dialogues help teens build critical thinking skills to navigate content decisions independently as they mature.

The key is helping teens shift from passive scrolling to purposeful engagement, which could include things like learning a new skill or creating content that showcases their unique talents. When teens understand how to use TikTok's features intentionally, they're more likely to have meaningful experiences that build confidence and creative skills, rather than falling into comparison traps or mindless consumption.

We appreciate these improvements and we continue to advocate for industry-wide standards on age verification, algorithmic transparency, and stronger data privacy protections for minors. The safety of young people online requires ongoing vigilance from platforms, policymakers, parents, and organizations like ours working together."

Parents' Ultimate Guide to TikTok: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/parents-ultimate-guide-to-tiktok-2024

TikTok News: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/new-ways-we-are-supporting-parents-and-helping-teens-build-balanced-digital-habits