12/08/2026
๐ฑ ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟโ๐ ๐ง๐ถ๐ธ๐ง๐ผ๐ธ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ?
A teenager may think they are sharing a video with other TikTok users โ but a public account can make their content visible far beyond the app.
The European Commission has issued preliminary findings that TikTokโs arrangements for minorsโ accounts may not meet the safety standards required under the Digital Services Act.
The Commission says that when a minor chooses a public account:
๐ Their content may be viewed by people who do not have a TikTok account
๐ Their videos may be shared or found outside the platform
๐ฒ Content posted by 16- and 17-year-olds may be recommended to other users through the For You Feed
The Commission believes minorsโ content should, by default, only be visible to TikTok users accepted by the young person. It also says minorsโ content should not be accessible to a global audience outside TikTok or recommended to strangers through the For You Feed. These findings are not yet a final decision, and TikTok has an opportunity to respond.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ?
Sit down with your teenager and open:
Profile โ Menu โฐ โ Settings and privacy โ Privacy
Then check:
๐ Is the account public or private?
TikTok says accounts belonging to 13- to 17-year-olds are private when first created, but teenagers can change this setting. On a public account, videos may be visible and shareable by anyone on or off TikTok and may appear on search engines, blogs or other social media sites.
๐ฅ Who can follow them and view each post?
Even with a private account, review the followers list together. Check the audience selected before each new video is posted.
๐ฌ Who can comment or send messages?
For public accounts belonging to 16- and 17-year-olds, comments may be open to everyone by default. Review who can comment, send message requests or tag the account.
โฌ๏ธ Can other people download or reuse their videos?
Check video downloads, Duet, Stitch and other reuse settings. A public account may allow content to be downloaded, copied or incorporated into another userโs video, depending on the settings chosen.
๐ Can TikTok suggest their account to others?
Review Suggest your account to others and whether contacts or Facebook friends have been synchronised. Previously synchronised contacts may also need to be removed separately.
๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ.
TikTok says a userโs nickname, username and profile photograph remain visible to anyone, even when the account is private.
The aim is not simply to tell teenagers to stop using social media. It is to help them understand that their real audience may be much larger than the people who follow them.
๐๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ, ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐?
Read the European Commissionโs preliminary findings:
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-preliminary-finds-tiktok-breach-digital-services-act-failing-ensure-safe-accounts-minors
โ๏ธ NPC Helpline
๐ 01 887 4477
โ๏ธ [email protected]
๐ Monday to Friday, 10amโ4pm
