TikTok will break into teens’ late-night scrolling sessions with soothing music.

      TikTok

      

      Most teenagers have created a TikTok account, and the app intends to interrupt late-night scrolling with a fullscreen reminder to take a deep breath, relax, and get ready for bedtime. Recently, TikTok has put more focus on the safety and well-being of its younger users by enhancing parental controls.

      In addition to the new meditation feature, this update allows parents more authority over the content their children can access on the app. They can reactivate the dedicated STEM feed if it has been turned off and establish customizable daily screen time limits. By default, all TikTok users under 18 are subject to a one-hour daily limit.

      Another feature allows parents to revert their child’s account back to private, even if it was switched to public. The Time Away feature enables parents to restrict TikTok access during specific times, such as school hours or dinner time.

      Bryan M. Wolfe / Digital Trends

      Parental controls like these, combined with a greater understanding of the impact of social media and short-form content on adolescents' mental health, can help mitigate issues such as depression and anxiety. Various studies indicate that TikTok may negatively affect mental health, while others suggest that the quick dopamine releases from short videos can diminish attention spans.

      The wind-down feature, as referred to by TikTok, reminds teens to pause. It launches a full-screen takeover that plays soothing music and encourages teens to engage in a breathing exercise. If they continue to use the app after the first prompt, TikTok will show another reminder that is more challenging to ignore.

      Dr. Vicki Harrison, a member of TikTok’s Content Advisory Council, stated, “TikTok has responded to requests from both youth and their families for more tools that will assist them in maintaining their well-being while using the app. Emphasizing sleep, balanced usage, and increased parent-teen discussions regarding social media use are all positive steps that I hope we see more of.” TikTok does not permit users under the age of 13 and automatically disables nighttime notifications for all users under 16.

      Patrick Hearn covers smart home technology including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more.

      TikTok is back, but it’s not in the clear yet.

      Approximately 14 hours after TikTok went offline, the social media giant has returned—though your feed may still be filled with farewell messages for a while. TikTok has once again permitted access from the United States after Trump promised to sign an executive order on Monday following his inauguration that would restore the app.

      On Saturday evening, a message notified users that TikTok was unavailable due to a law that had banned it in the United States. The message concluded with: "We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!"

      TikTok goes dark in the US along with other ByteDance apps.

      TikTok is no longer accessible in the US. Following the Supreme Court's decision to support a law aimed at banning the platform, the social media site voluntarily ceased operations in the country, along with several other apps owned by the parent company. Apple and Google have also removed the popular social media app from the App Store and Play Store, meaning no new downloads are possible. Consequently, there will be no updates to the platform, whether security-related or those introducing new features.

      Concerned about the TikTok ban? Here’s how it may appear on your device.

      The US Supreme Court has ruled to uphold a law that would lead to TikTok’s ban in the country on January 19. The platform has issued an official statement confirming that it will indeed shut down unless it receives emergency relief from the outgoing president.

      “Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to reassure the most crucial service providers regarding non-enforcement, unfortunately, TikTok will be compelled to go dark on January 19,” the company stated shortly after the court’s ruling.

      So, what does "going dark" entail?

      So far, there is no official clarification on what TikTok means by “going dark.” Speculation abounds regarding how the app or website will function once TikTok shuts down in the US.