TikTok

TikTok

TikTok logo with a black background, featuring a stylized musical note in white with cyan and pink outlines.

Why Use TikTok?
TikTok is a platform for sharing short videos, allowing you to express creativity, discover trends, and connect with others.​

Minimum Age: 13+

A teen influencer shares how they enjoy TikTok—dancing, creating, and connecting—while staying in control of their online experience. They discuss setting boundaries, using privacy tools, and recognizing when something doesn't feel right.

Influencer Video

TikTok Checklist:

  • Private accounts limit who can follow you or see your content. It's a good way to control who interacts with you, but it’s still important to be thoughtful about what you post.

  • It's best to connect only with people you know. Accepting unknown followers can expose you to risks like grooming or romance fraud.

  • Avoid sharing details like your school, town, age, or contact info. Keeping your bio general helps protect you from online predators.

  • Restricting messages prevents unsolicited contacts, reducing the risk of sextortion or exposure to unwanted content.

  • Familiarize yourself with these tools to quickly address any uncomfortable interactions. TikTok uses AI to monitor and act on reports, enhancing user safety.

  • Stay informed about best practices for online safety. Regularly review TikTok's safety resources and updates to ensure you're using the platform responsibly!

Setting up your TikTok account

You must be 13 or older to create a TikTok account. Be sure to use you’re real age, so TikTok can help you with your privacy settings.

You’ll need:

  • A phone number or email

  • A unique username

  • A secure password! Don’t share it with anyone, not even friends.

A digital calendar interface showing the selection of January 1, 2024, with a birthday icon and a red continue button.

Why should I make my own account?

If you share accounts or logins, you can’t fully manage your privacy settings or protect yourself from unwanted activity.

Understanding Private vs. Public Accounts

If you're 13–15 years old, TikTok automatically sets your account to private. If you're 16 or older, you can change your privacy settings at any time.

  • Private Account: Only followers you approve can see your posts or send you messages. This helps reduce the chances of getting unwanted attention from strangers. Still, even on private, your videos can be screen-recorded or shared by others, so always think before you post.

  • Public Account: Anyone can see your videos and profile. This can be fun if you want a bigger audience, but it also makes it easier for people you don’t know to send you unwanted messages or interact with your content.

Screenshots of privacy settings on a social media app, showing options for turning on or off 'Private account' and 'Activity status' with toggles, one enabled and one disabled.

Adjust Your Privacy Settings:

  1. Go to your Profile.

  2. Tap the Menu (☰) icon.

  3. Select Settings and privacy > Privacy.

  4. Toggle the Private account setting as desired

Screenshot of a social media app's 'Interactions' menu showing options like Comments, Mentions, Direct messages, Reuse of content, Downloads, Following list, Liked videos, Favorite sounds, Viewers, and Blocked accounts.

Managing Interactions & Messages

You can also choose:

  • Who can comment on your videos

  • Who can send you direct messages

  • Who can view your liked videos

…and more! Making these changes helps reduce your exposure to cyberbullying, romance scams, phishing, and other unwanted messages!

Dealing with Unwanted Messages

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Some teens in Ghana have reported receiving uncomfortable messages—like being asked for naked images or being sent inappropriate content. If this happens to you:

  • Don’t reply

  • Screenshot the message

  • Block and report the user

You’re not overreacting. It's okay to take action when something feels wrong.

Reporting alerts TikTok to harmful content or behaviour. Blocking someone removes their ability to view your content or contact you.

TikTok uses AI and human reviewers to go over reports. If they find a rule has been broken, the person may be warned, suspended, or banned.

How to Report a Direct Message:

  1. Open the TikTok app and tap Inbox at the bottom.

  2. Tap the chat containing the inappropriate message.

  3. Press and hold the specific message you want to report.

  4. Tap Report and select the reason for reporting.

  5. Follow the prompts to complete the report.​

How to Block a User on TikTok

  1. Go to the profile of the user you wish to block.

  2. Tap the Arrow icon in the top right corner.

  3. Select Block and confirm your choice

Reporting and Blocking Tools:

When you report a message or user, TikTok's moderation team reviews the report to determine if it violates Community Guidelines. If a violation is found:

  • The content may be removed.

  • The reported user's account may receive a warning or be banned, depending on the severity.​

  • The reported user will not know you reported them

After You Report:

Keep your conversations on TikTok

TikTok has tools like privacy settings, blocking, and reporting to help protect you.

That’s why it’s safer to keep conversations with new friends on the app and never share your phone number or move the chat somewhere else. Other platforms may not keep you as safe.

Need More Help?

If you’re facing something more serious—like:

  • Being contacted by an online predator

  • Someone trying to groom you

  • You’ve shared CSAM

  • You’re a victim of sextortion

Visit our Reporting & Support Portal for help and next steps.

Read our other App Guides