. “Help me understand the rules”, “Be open to dialogue”, “Don’t panic if something is wrong”, “Trust me”, “Respect my privacy”. This is the advice available in the Parents and Guardians Guide section of the TikTok Safety Center to help parents, let’s say, make contact with teens. The innovations launched were in fact developed this time with the teenagers, together with the security experts of the Internet Matters organization. These are tools developed by the Chinese social network for super-young people within the ‘Family Connection’ feature. This is the possibility for parents to associate their account.
Parents and controllers
As paradoxical as it may seem, it makes sense: it is the advice of children to parents called to follow the activity of adolescents on the social network. Let’s clarify one point: no one likes to be controlled but if you are a minor, the concerns of parents must be accepted and a negotiation of their digital borders is needed. The relationship of trust with children can also be built in other ways without the obligation of forms of surveillance or control. There is no rain on this. But especially for those generations far from the dynamics of social networks, it is advisable to begin to know how the worlds frequented by one’s children work by interacting with them also through the interfaces designed by the social network. It is an extra step, the parent-child dialogue should not be mediated. But in some cases it can be useful. In any case, the debate is very open.
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TikTok and the Privacy Guarantor
TikTok as we know has entered the crosshairs of the Italian Privacy Guarantor. The platform for very young people is committed to adopting new measures to prevent even more effectively the access of children to the platform. The measures taken by Tik Tok following the emergency measures adopted by the Guarantor for the protection of personal data have brought significant results, but not yet sufficient, according to the Authority, given the importance of the interests at stake.
The other news announced.
The account of a parent or guardian already associated with that of a child through the Family Linking feature will also receive a notification inviting them to find out more about the support that teens want to receive and their suggestions on how to start a dialogue about ‘digital literacy and online safety. “Balancing a teenager’s privacy expectations with the need to ensure their safety is one of the most insidious aspects of parenting, both online and offline – explains Alexandra Evans, Head of Child Safety Public Policy, Europe by TikTok – It can be difficult to accept that a teenager asks you not to follow him on a platform: it is natural to worry that they want to hide something from you, but generally they just want to have a space to meet with friends without feeling controlled ”.