To prevent any misuse TikTok raised the age limit for its virtual gifts. TikTok is an online music video streaming platform that is gaining more and more attention from teenagers as compared to other social media platforms. To help the TikTokers generate some revenue from the platform, TikTok introduced the feature of virtual gifts which the fans could send to the Musers they like. Recently, the platform was accused of manipulating children into sending gifts from the credit cards of their parents. This accusation later on revealed that the kids below the age of 18 were using the credit cards of their parents to send virtual gifts to the musers they like and to stop the misuse TikTok updated its policy that now only users of 18 years-old or above can purchase, send or receive virtual gifts on the platform.
TikTok is gaining more love from the underage kids and to stop the misuse it is increasing the minimum age at which the users are allowed to send and receive paid virtual gifts to age 18 so that children can’t be misused. The users of this video streaming app can send digital gifts to the users who live stream by buying some virtual coins which cost around $100.
This new policy was also made when the platform was accused that influencers pressurize young people to pay them in exchange for things like their personal phone number.
In July, this platform also came under the watchdog’s spotlight of the UK as the information Commissioner Office stated that it was monitoring the app to know how the platform is handling the personal data of young people. Before this update, any user of 13 years or above was enabled by the platform to purchase and send virtual gifts to any users of 16 years old or above age.
TikTok also banned paid political advertisements on its platform and this video streaming platform is making all these new changes in order to make the platform a safe place for users of all age groups so that people from any age category can enjoy a live stream without being a victim of any misuse like being pressurized into sending virtual gifts to musers. This feature of virtual gifts is overwhelmingly used positively but these new improved features and policies are an attempt to stop misuse from spreading on the platform and to make the gifting feature used appropriately and respectfully on the platform these new age restrictions are announced today.
According to TikTok, the platform uses a combination of human moderation and technology to review the content but majorly the app relies on people to state their true age when signing up on the platform. Any sort of suspicious activity or behavior of the user is automatically flagged to the human reviewers of the platform and they take the necessary action which might lead to account termination if the person is found violating the policies of the video streaming platform.
These new policies are expected to be rolling out in the next few weeks and it will be effective at the end of this December in all the countries where TikTok operates.
Read next: TikTok has Finally Started Working on Shoppable Videos!
TikTok is gaining more love from the underage kids and to stop the misuse it is increasing the minimum age at which the users are allowed to send and receive paid virtual gifts to age 18 so that children can’t be misused. The users of this video streaming app can send digital gifts to the users who live stream by buying some virtual coins which cost around $100.
This new policy was also made when the platform was accused that influencers pressurize young people to pay them in exchange for things like their personal phone number.
In July, this platform also came under the watchdog’s spotlight of the UK as the information Commissioner Office stated that it was monitoring the app to know how the platform is handling the personal data of young people. Before this update, any user of 13 years or above was enabled by the platform to purchase and send virtual gifts to any users of 16 years old or above age.
TikTok also banned paid political advertisements on its platform and this video streaming platform is making all these new changes in order to make the platform a safe place for users of all age groups so that people from any age category can enjoy a live stream without being a victim of any misuse like being pressurized into sending virtual gifts to musers. This feature of virtual gifts is overwhelmingly used positively but these new improved features and policies are an attempt to stop misuse from spreading on the platform and to make the gifting feature used appropriately and respectfully on the platform these new age restrictions are announced today.
According to TikTok, the platform uses a combination of human moderation and technology to review the content but majorly the app relies on people to state their true age when signing up on the platform. Any sort of suspicious activity or behavior of the user is automatically flagged to the human reviewers of the platform and they take the necessary action which might lead to account termination if the person is found violating the policies of the video streaming platform.
These new policies are expected to be rolling out in the next few weeks and it will be effective at the end of this December in all the countries where TikTok operates.
Read next: TikTok has Finally Started Working on Shoppable Videos!
