Set up all the parental controls on my 13 year old's TikTok. Still finding videos that are... not appropriate. The algorithm is relentless. Tried talking to him about it but he just says everyone watches it. Feels like I'm fighting an uphill battle. Wondering if I should just ban it completely or if that makes me the bad guy. What are other parents doing?
That's frustrating. The talks are honestly more important than the settings anyway. Sounds like you're on top of it even if TikTok isn't cooperating.
Yeah TikTok's algorithm is basically playing whack-a-mole with parental controls. You're doing the right thing by staying involved and talking to him about it though, that's really the key.
The parental controls on TikTok are basically a joke at this point. Kids figure them out or just use their friends' accounts. Real solution is probably having some trust-based conversations about why certain stuff isn't appropriate and checking in periodically. Plus limiting total screen time helps reduce exposure.
TikTok's algorithm is sneaky about this. Even with parental controls it finds ways around them. Have you tried just having a conversation with her about what she's actually seeing? Sometimes that's more effective than the tech - help her understand why you're concerned about certain content instead of just blocking things.
This is the problem with relying only on tech controls. You also need ongoing conversations about what's appropriate and why. My 13 year old knows we check in on her social media and she's actually okay with it because we're not psycho about it - we just care about her safety.
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Yeah this has been my experience too. They slip through. Have you considered just talking to her about what you're seeing and asking her to be more critical about what she's watching? Might give her some agency while still keeping your oversight.