Social media app TikTok has taken the world by storm, skyrocketing in popularity during lockdown and dethroning YouTube as the main video platform used by content creators.
The endless nature of the app's 'For You' page means it can be easy to accidentally spend hours scrolling but new measures are set to help people "stay in control".
Concerns have been raised about the mental health of young people excessively using the video platform due to it's "addictive" nature.
TikTok will introduce a 60-minute limit on usage for under 18s, locking the app once that time has been reached - which parents or guardians can unlock with a passcode.
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Although the majority of TikTok's userbase is thought to be 18 to 34 year olds, anyone can create a private account from 13-years-old with no limits on screen time or content they see.
There is also TikTok for Younger Users which separates under 13s from the main app content, which will also get the new time limit function.
Cormac Keenan, Head of Trust and Safety for TikTok, said: "While there's no collectively-endorsed position on the 'right' amount of screen time or even the impact of screen time more broadly, we consulted the current academic research and experts from the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital in choosing this limit."
In order to continue using the app for longer than an hour per day, teens will have to input a passcode - TikTok hasn't said if there will be a further screen time block if this initial lock is removed.
"In addition, we'll send every teen account a weekly inbox notification with a recap of their screen time," added Keenan.
This screen time lock will be optional but TikTok hopes to encourage users to make "an active decision to extend" their time spent scrolling.
For users who opt out of the 60-minute scheme but continue to spend more than 100 minutes per day on it, a message will be sent asking them to set their own screen time controls.
The app has already introduced prompts that pop up when you have been scrolling for more than an hour, however these are easily scrolled past. This prompt has "increase the use of our screen time tools by 234%", according to TikTok.
Giving parents and guardians back some control over their teen's TikTok is a key part of this announcement, with Family Pairing allowing them to see a breakdown of screen time. This includes stats like how many times the app is opened and usage at different times of the day.
Keenan said: "We hope these features will continue to help families establish an ongoing dialogue about safety and well-being in our digital world."
Older users aren't left out in this crackdown on excessive usage, with a new sleep reminder that can be set. This will prompt TikTokers to switch off their phones when it reaches their set bedtime, although it doesn't lock the app.
TikTok hasn't announced exactly when these features will launch but said it will be "in the coming weeks". Until then anyone using an iPhone can set screen time controls through the phone's app settings on any app they choose, including TikTok.
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