Is Instagram or TikTok Safer for Teens? 

Is Instagram or TikTok safer? These two platforms are the most popular among teens and, therefore, also pose the most harm to their overall well-being. 

Find out what tools these platforms offer to keep younger users safe. 

Social Media Apps for Teens: Dangers Parents Should Know

Mental health, body image, and self-esteem issues. These are just some of the common dangers of social networks. Daily exposure to social media content consistently telling them how they should look, eat, and behave adds fuel to the fire. 

A big part of the problem is how social media platforms algorithmically curate content for each feed. A user watches one Instagram Reel featuring a 12-step beauty routine, and IG soon bombards their feed with similar content. The same goes for Facebook and TikTok. 

To a certain extent, users have control over what they see on their feeds. Algorithms soon take over, however, and feed their unhealthy interests nonstop. 

The dangers of social media apps for teens are more serious because they’re more impressionable. Their content consumption habits can greatly influence their mental and emotional development. 

Fortunately, social platforms also offer safety features to help parents ensure a healthy experience for their kids. 

TikTok Safety

TikTok safety tools are fairly comprehensive. The following tools are unique to TikTok and available to all users:

• Restricted Mode allows you to limit your exposure to inappropriate content. 
• Comment Care Mode lets you filter inappropriate, offensive, or community-flagged keywords from your videos’ comments section.
• Filter Video Keywords lets you filter your For You and Following feeds based on specified keywords and hashtags.
• Family Pairing allows parents to link their accounts with their children’s accounts and set parental controls. 
• Private Account gives you more control over who follows you and sees and engages with your videos.  

How Old Do You Have To Be To Have TikTok?

How old do you have to be to have TikTok? A user has to be at least 13 years old to create a TikTok account. However, the platform does not have an age verification process. TikTok bans accounts of users who are potentially below the minimum age. 

If you’re between 13 and 17 years old, TikTok applies automatic age restrictions to certain features. These include the following;

• Daily screen time is one hour for teens between 13 and 17 years old by default.
• Mute push notifications are turned on by default between 9 PM to 8 AM for 13- to 15-year-olds. The default time for 16- to 17-year-olds is between 10 PM to 8 AM.
• Direct messaging is only available to users registered as 16 years or older. TikTok automatically turns off Direct messaging for registered users between 13 and 15 years old. 

TikTok encourages parents to enable parental controls through Family Pairing if their teens use TikTok. Family Pairing allows parents to customize and enhance their children’s privacy settings and security features to ensure their safety. 

TikTok Age Protected Post

TikTok’s recommendation algorithm is addictive because it’s highly intuitive and precise. The platform prioritizes user interests based on their TikTok interactions and habits. 

The more a user watches and engages with certain videos and accounts, the more of the same they see on their feeds. However, the platform also has checks and balances in place to promote a positive and safe experience for all its users. 

For example, the platform encourages users to enable the Audience Control feature before posting a video suitable only for viewers 18 and older. 

TikTok also does a good job of filtering negative or potentially harmful content. If a user searches for #thinspo or similar hashtags that promote unhealthy habits, TikTok redirects them to helpful resources instead. The platform automatically removes content that may pose risks to its users. 

Through Family Pairing, parents can enable Restricted Mode for their teens to restrict access to TikTok age-protected posts. 

TikTok vs Instagram: Instagram Safety

How does Instagram fare when it comes to TikTok vs Instagram safeguarding measures? What features does Instagram offer to ensure everyone has safe and positive experiences on the platform? 

• Private Account lets you approve follower requests and gives you more control over who can engage with you. 
• Limited Interactions lets you temporarily limit unwanted interactions from certain groups. 
• Restrict allows you to protect yourself from unwanted interactions from individuals without having to block or unfollow them. 
• Hidden Words allows you to hide unwanted comments on your content and unwanted message requests. You can also specify words, phrases, and emojis you don’t want to see in comments or message requests. 
• Suggested Content allows you to limit certain types of content from accounts you don’t follow. You can also specify words or phrases to further filter the content on your feed. 

Is Instagram Safe for Kids?

Is Instagram safe for kids? Instagram constantly introduces new safety features and updates existing ones to reinforce the protection of users below 18. 

The minimum age requirement to create an account is 13. In June 2022, the platform introduced new ways to verify a user’s age. Age verification is a requirement for all new users on Instagram.

When it comes to its recommendation algorithm, Instagram prioritizes content and account popularity over a user’s interests. 

When teens engage with a post about makeup or fitness routines, Instagram shows them more of the same, but mostly from popular accounts. This algorithmic formula can potentially lead them to accounts that may not always share age-appropriate content. 

The following measures can help minimize teen users’ exposure to inappropriate content and interactions:

• Accounts of teens under 16 are set to private by default; however, they have the option to switch to a public account. 
• For teen users under 18, accounts they don’t follow can’t tag or mention them or use their content in Reels Remixes or Guides.
• Users over 19 are not allowed to send private messages to teens who don’t follow them. 
• Instagram has developed technology “to find adult accounts that have shown potentially suspicious behavior.” The platform prohibits these individuals from finding and following teens through Reels, Explore, or Suggested for You.
• Instagram automatically sets Sensitive Content Control settings to “Less” for teen users under 16. However, they can opt-out and see more of this type of content. 
• Content Restrictions automatically restrict certain types of content for accounts of users under 16 and the visibility of certain restricted goods and services for those under 18. 

Instagram Parental Controls

Instagram parental controls are available via the Parental Supervision feature. Parental supervision is an optional feature that both the parent and teen (13-17 years old) must agree to participate in. Either person can also remove it at any time. Through this feature, a parent can:

• Set a daily time limit for Instagram use. 
• Set scheduled Instagram breaks during select days and hours. 
• See their teen’s average Instagram use.
• See which accounts their teen is following, which ones are following their teen, and which accounts their teen has blocked. 
• View their teen’s settings for account privacy, sensitive content, and direct messaging. 

Is Instagram or TikTok Safer? What’s the Verdict?

TikTok is leagues ahead of Instagram and other networks in the battle of algorithms. Which is safer, TikTok or Instagram? TikTok is the clear winner as it puts user interests over those of popular accounts and content. 

Is Instagram or TikTok safer for users of all ages? The answer depends on what the user is looking for. The best way to decide which platform is better is to try them both. 

TikTok is your best bet if you’re a creator or brand looking to build a solid community. And you can sign up for a High Social plan to get there faster. High Social’s advanced, proprietary AI technology instantly doubles your audience-targeting capability. 

Connect with genuinely interested viewers with each and every post. Start growing your TikTok today!

TikTok 101