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A Guide for Parents to Monitor Followers and Manage Screen Time on TikTok
TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms among teenagers, allowing them to express creativity, connect with friends, and discover new trends. While it’s a fun and engaging app, many parents worry about who their teens are interacting with and how much time they spend on the platform.
Good news—TikTok offers built-in parental controls that allow you to monitor your teen’s follower/following list and set time restrictions. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to use these features to create a safer and more balanced digital experience for your teen.
How to See Your Teen’s Followers and Following List on TikTok?
The Family Pairing feature on TikTok allows parents to connect their accounts with their teen’s account for better oversight. Once enabled, you can see:
- Who follows your teen – This helps you ensure they’re not connected with strangers or suspicious accounts.
- Who your teen follows – You can review their interests and connections to ensure they’re engaging with appropriate content.
- Blocked accounts – You can see if your teen has blocked someone and discuss any concerns with them.
How to Enable Family Pairing to Monitor Followers?
- Open TikTok on your phone.
- Go to Profile > Tap the three-line menu in the top-right corner.
- Select Settings and privacy > Tap Family Pairing.
- Choose Parent and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Have your teen also enable Family Pairing on their device and link their account to yours using the QR code.
Once linked, you’ll have access to their follower and following lists, plus other safety features.
How to Block TikTok Access During Certain Hours?
If you’re concerned about your teen spending too much time on TikTok, especially during school hours, bedtime, or family time, you can use the Screen Time Management feature.
This feature allows you to limit their TikTok usage and block access during certain times.
How to Set Time Limits on TikTok?
- Open TikTok and go to Settings and privacy.
- Tap Family Pairing and ensure your account is connected to your teen’s.
- Select Screen Time Management.
- Choose the maximum daily screen time or set specific hours when TikTok will be inaccessible.
- Enable a passcode, so only you can adjust the settings.
With this feature, you can make sure TikTok doesn’t interfere with schoolwork, sleep, or important family moments.
Additional Parental Controls for a Safer TikTok Experience
Besides monitoring followers and setting time limits, here are some extra tools TikTok offers to help parents create a safe online space for teens:
- Restricted Mode – Filters out inappropriate content from your teen’s feed.
- Direct Message Controls – Limit who can message your teen or turn off DMs completely.
- Wind Down Mode – If your teen is using TikTok late at night, the app will send calming prompts encouraging them to log off and rest.
Encouraging Healthy Social Media Habits
While technology is a big part of teenagers’ lives, balance is key. Open conversations about social media safety, privacy, and responsible screen time can help your teen develop healthy habits.
By using TikTok’s Family Pairing features, you can protect your teen online while allowing them to enjoy the platform responsibly.
