TikTok announces daily time limit for teens, but is it enough?

TikTok announces daily time limit for teens, but is it enough?

Last week, TikTok announced a new 60-minute screen limit timer for teens. This will not stop teenagers from using the app for the day. Users over 13 can enter their passcode to continue scrolling. Children under 13 must have a parent enter a passcode. Experts agree that while time limits are helpful for healthy social media use, logistical loopholes and the habits of those around them could prevent teens from adhering to healthy online practices.

Hugely popular social media app TikTok will introduce a new feature that sets a 60-minute screen limit timer for all users under 18, the company announced Wednesday.

Teens ages 13 to 18 will see a pop-up informing them that they have been using the app for an hour, although users can enter their passcode to override the limit if they want to continue using the app, TikTok said in a press release. The system is similar for those under 13, although they will need a parent's help to enter a password that unlocks an additional 30 minutes in the app.

In addition to Screen Time limits, other new features will be added such as: B. a weekly summary of time in the app and added parental controls that can mute notifications and provide additional information about app usage.

These changes should “provide parents and teens with an opportunity to work together to develop healthy online habits,” Larry Magid, president and CEO of a technology safety nonprofit called ConnectSafely, said in the press release.

The changes are a step in the right direction for teens looking to build healthier habits online, although TikTok still presents some unique challenges, noted Lucía Magis-Weinberg, MD, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington.

"Especially for older teenagers, we want to set limits that allow them to still exercise their autonomy and independence. That's why I think a nudge is a better approach than a strict limit. At the same time," she saidHealth“It’s a big struggle to regulate yourself in the face of such captivating technology.”

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A step towards healthy social media habits

Limiting screen time is a big step towards healthy online habits. A study found that more screen time was linked to higher levels of depression and anxiety among teenagers ages 14 to 17. Another study found that participants who limited their social media use to 10 minutes per app per day reported higher levels of well-being than a control group.

But as TikTok mentioned in its press release, there is no specific number of daily minutes recommended for children. They landed on a 60-minute timer after working with researchers at the Boston Children's Hospital Digital Wellness Lab, the company said.

“Screen time is not the best measure of what young people do online,” explained Dr. Magis vineyard. "We want to focus on quality, but that is difficult to implement. So I welcome this as a first step."

Basically, according to Dr. Magis-Weinberg, using social media well is a skill that many children and young people lack. Setting some boundaries and limits can help them build these skills in the healthiest way possible. A screen limit popup provides a moment to pause and reflect.

"Instead of getting lost down a rabbit hole or losing awareness of what they're doing, they need to take stock: 'Okay, let me take a breather. Is this what I want to do?'" said Eileen Anderson, EdD, professor of bioethics and director of educational programs in bioethics and medical humanities at Case Western Reserve University School of MedicineHealth.

This is particularly important with TikTok because the app is a big attraction for teenagers and children. Just over two-thirds of teens ages 13 to 17 said they have used TikTok in some form, and 16% say they use the app “almost constantly.”

“The developing brain is very sensitive to technology and media in ways we don’t even understand yet,” Anderson said. “When children are exposed to material that challenges them in some way, having some of these other developmental skills on board can help them cope successfully.”

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Solve a complicated problem

Although experts agree that screen time limits help teens navigate social media, it's certainly not a perfect solution to the negative outcomes that apps like TikTok often cause.

There are currently no secure ways to verify the age of social media users when they sign up for accounts online, Dr. Magis vineyard. So technically there is nothing stopping children and teenagers from inflating their age and using this to get around implemented screen time controls.

Aside from logistical pitfalls, there are some aspects of TikTok itself that make implementing healthy social media habits challenging.

“Their algorithms are particularly sophisticated,” said Dr. Magis vineyard. “That makes it harder to regulate behavior because you're getting irritated with all this content that you really like and that's going to be particularly appealing to you.”

There's also the visual nature of the platform. The promise of something new and the short video format seem particularly “addictive” to young people, Anderson explained. And because it's so visual, apps like TikTok or Instagram have a higher chance of promoting negative body image ideals, which can harm teens' mental health, Dr. Magis vineyard added.

"What are they watching? And are they watching things that are not age-appropriate, that are going to have negative health effects, whether they watch it for 60 minutes or 120 minutes?" Anderson asked.

Finding a balance is key

Amid a multitude of concerns about social media, there are some things parents can do to help their children learn healthy online habits.

Dr. Magis-Weinberg noted that banning social media apps for children — at least on a societal level — is probably not the solution. US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy made headlines when he said he believed children under 13 were too young to join social media platforms. Dr. Magis-Weinberg doesn't necessarily agree.

A less rigorous plan would focus on the idea of ​​social media use as a balancing act. Once a person subtracts time for sleep, work, eating, hobbies, and other daily tasks, there probably won't be much time left to scroll online, Dr. Magis vineyard. But if so, this is a good time to engage in “intentional” or “meaningful” use, she added.

This is probably a lesson that all TikTok users could work on, not just minors. Data from early summer 2022 found that TikTok users worldwide spent an average of 95 minutes per day on the app.

Beyond studying social media usage among teenagers, Anderson explained that it is important for parents and adults to play an active role in helping younger users learn how to healthily manage social media apps.

“[Kids] pay close attention to what their parents are doing,” she said. "So the first thing parents should do is take a hard look at their own social media usage. Because we have parents who are on their phones all the time, yelling at kids to get off their phones. And that's not very effective."

The key is finding time to balance social media with all the activities we need to keep ourselves healthy, Dr. Magis vineyard. And anything we can do to avoid endless scrolling is a good thing.

“[It] causes people to stop and question the [screen time] message,” Anderson said. “Although there are endless workarounds that children can find a way for.”

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