TikTok's Northern Europe policy director Ali Law defended the platform's safety measures on CNBC's Squawk Box Europe on Tuesday as EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Monday that the region will restrict children's social media use. Von der Leyen's measures include exploring an age limit for platforms, based on findings from a special panel on child safety online. Governments worldwide are implementing similar restrictions, with Australia becoming the first country to legally enforce a ban in December.
TikTok Implements 50+ Safety Settings for Users Under 16
Law told CNBC that TikTok has over 50 preset safety settings for anyone under the age of 16. The measures include a one-hour screen time limit and a 10 p.m. screen takeover telling users to take a break. While some measures appear as warnings, younger users can opt to continue using the platform. Additional restrictions prevent anyone under 16 from using direct messages or selling on TikTok Shop.
"We're really conscious of the concerns that both parents and policymakers have in this area," Law said. "We want people to have a healthy and safe relationship with the app because of the amount of benefits that people can get when they're using it."
Law stated that TikTok spent $2 billion on trust and safety last year. "All of these are little default aspects, little nudges to make sure that people have a balanced and healthy relationship with our app, because that works in our interests...because if people are using it for too much and are burnt out, they're not going to get value from it," Law said.
EU Commission Announces Social Media Age Restrictions
Von der Leyen said Monday that the EU will forge ahead with restricting children's social media use. "We in Europe believe that parents bring up our kids, and not predatory algorithms. To that end, let me be very clear: social media is not a toy. While ultimately it is up to parents to decide when children get their first smartphones, what we already have is a consensus that there needs to be a start date for the age children can join social media," she said.
Earlier this year, Von der Leyen said the EU will take action against "TikTok and its addictive design," which includes features like infinite scrolling, autoplay, and push notifications. The U.K., France, Greece, and Spain have announced similar restrictions following Australia's December ban.
TikTok Settles Social Media Addiction Case; Meta and Google Found Negligent
Earlier this year, TikTok settled with a plaintiff in a high-profile social media case that alleged social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube harmed young people's mental health through addictive design features like infinite scrolling. In the same case, Meta and Google were found negligent by a jury for failing to warn users about the dangers of using their platforms.
FAQ
What safety measures did TikTok announce for users under 16?
TikTok has over 50 preset safety settings for users under 16, including a one-hour screen time limit, a 10 p.m. screen takeover prompting users to take a break, and restrictions on direct messaging and TikTok Shop access.
What did EU Commission President Von der Leyen announce on Monday regarding children's social media use?
Von der Leyen announced Monday that the EU will restrict children's social media use, including exploring an age limit for platforms. The measures are based on findings from a special panel on child safety online that she commissioned.
What happened in the social media addiction case involving TikTok, Meta, and Google earlier this year?
Earlier this year, TikTok settled with a plaintiff in a case alleging social media platforms harmed young people's mental health through addictive design features. In the same case, Meta and Google were found negligent by a jury for failing to warn users about platform dangers.
