TikTok addicts will be able to further limit their time on the app, the company said, with a new screen time setting coming to the service imminently.
Like many of its competitors, TikTok already allows users to set a maximum screen time limit for each day, to help them stop spending hours at a time scrolling through the “for you” page.
Now, the company will also allow users to set time limits before requiring a pause after a certain amount of uninterrupted screen time, a figure that the user can set if desired.
A new screen time control panel will also provide feedback to TikTok users on how much time they spend on the app, how often they open it, and a breakdown of day and night usage.
“At TikTok, we believe that our digital experiences should bring us joy, entertainment, connection and enrichment,” a TikTok blog post said.
“Having a positive relationship with digital devices and applications is not just about measuring time in front of the screen, it’s also about feeling in control of how we use technology and making sure the time we spend online contributes positively to our sense of well-being.
“That’s why we’re taking a series of steps today to help support the digital well-being of our community as they create and discover TikTok.”
Configuration is not only provided due to TikTok’s concern for the welfare of users. Social media has a great motivation to offer its own screen time controls, in case people decide to enable the strictest controls built into both iOS and Android smartphone platforms.
The new requirements introduced last summer require technology companies to be more aware of how children use their services.
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Earlier this week, Apple announced a new set of options for its own screen time feature, designed to make it easier for parents to manage their children’s screen time. Children can now send a text request to their parents to spend extra screen time and have it approved in the app, instead of having to hand in the phone and enter a password.
And now parents can set up their phones automatically with a single collection of recommended settings based on the child’s age, and with screen time and bedtime limits will automatically apply.