By Alicia Blum-Ross, TikTok’s Global Head of Youth Safety by Design
Listening to the experiences of teens is one of the most important steps we can take to build a safer TikTok for them. By actively engaging young people and hearing their insights and recommendations, we can better understand and respond to their safety and well-being needs on our platform.
Similar to how we engage with more than 50 academics and leading experts worldwide through our Content and Safety Advisory Councils, we launched our Global Youth Council in 2023. This initiative provides a structured and regular opportunity for teens—who are experts in their own experiences—to share their perspectives. Here’s what we’ve learned one year into our Youth Council.
A global approach
As a platform that serves users from around the world, we prioritized ensuring that our Youth Council reflects the diverse communities on TikTok. Our first cohort included 15 teens aged 14–18, representing Brazil, France, Indonesia, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, the UK, and the US. By creating space for teens from different backgrounds, we gain diverse insights that challenge and strengthen our approach to building safety for TikTok’s global youth community.
Partnering with organizations specializing in youth safeguarding
TikTok’s Youth Council meetings are organized and facilitated by Praesidio Safeguarding, an online safety agency with expertise in research and youth participation. By partnering with organizations that specialize in fostering inclusive and empowering environments for young people, we ensure that our members can share their perspectives in a way that translates to real impact on our platform.
Combining product and policy-specific feedback with big-picture questions
Last year, the Youth Council provided valuable insights on key TikTok safety tools and resources, including Family Pairing, our screen time feature, and the revamp of TikTok’s Teen Safety Center. In addition to reviewing products and policies already in development, we also asked broader, formative questions about online safety and well-being. This holistic approach allows our product and policy teams to get focused consultations on their work while gaining a more comprehensive understanding of what young people want to solve or improve in their online experiences.
Investment from senior leaders
Having young people’s perspectives listened to and acknowledged by company leaders demonstrates to them that these conversations translate into meaningful changes on our platform. This gives leaders a direct channel to discuss the issues that are important to young people and collaborate on innovative solutions. For instance, TikTok CEO Shou Chew joined our inaugural Youth Council’s second meeting, which offered council members a unique opportunity to ask him questions and hear directly from leadership.
Our work with the Youth Council is just one of the ways we continue to learn, adapt, and strengthen our approach to teen safety. By centering youth voices and taking action on their valuable perspectives, we aim to build a platform that truly reflects and protects the needs of the youngest members of our community.