With almost 1 billion active users, TikTok is a unique and mega-popular video-sharing platform. When you have that many users, it’s quite challenging to set boundaries for the younger audience and include additional privacy features for those who need extra protection. But what happens when you had no idea about the age restrictions and accidentally put in the wrong date of birth? In that case, you need to learn how to change your age on TikTok.
And when you’re finished, take a look at our other TikTok guides:
- Guide On How to Change TikTok Username
- How to View Private TikTok Accounts?
- Who Makes the Most Money on TikTok
Table of Contents
Is It Possible To Change Your Age On Your TikTok Profile?
Although this social platform gives you the chance to change TikTok username, name, and other details about your account, its privacy rules make it hard for you to change your age. Essentially, there’s no way for you to change the date through the settings section, but there is an alternative you can try. Before we get into detail, let’s talk more about TikTok’s Community Guidelines.
In 2019, the platform lost a legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission because TikTok broke the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act rules. Right after that, it got rid of all the profiles of users under the age of 13 and limited its features for users below 18. For example, if you want to start a live stream, you have to be over 16, and you can only get virtual gifts if you’re over 18. You can still watch hours of video content before you turn 18, but it will be only age-appropriate videos.
How To Change Your Age On TikTok?
Unfortunately, changing your age on this social media platform is not an option from the basic control. TikTok is very strict when it comes to underage users, so this won’t be as simple as changing profile pictures, usernames, or other privacy settings. However, there is a method you can try in case you entered a fake birthday and want to fix your mistake. In other words, you’ll first need to contact TikTok’s customer support and ask them for a birthday update. Here are the steps to follow:
- Log into your TikTok profile with your username and password on the app.
- Tap on the Menu icon that’s located in the lower-right corner of the screen.
- Next, tap on the three-dot icon located in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Once you use the three-dots icon, you’ll see a new menu pop up where you should find the Report a problem section and tap on it.
- Choose Account and Profile.
- Next, tap on Editing Profile.
- Choose Other.
- Tap on Still Have a Problem.
- Now, on your screen, you should see a field where you should enter the reason why you’re contacting TikTok’s customer support. The sentence should explain that you need to change the date/year of your birthday because the existing one isn’t your actual birthday. Also, make sure to include that you have a government-issued ID that will confirm your claim. Since you can’t do this change through the Edit Profile option, this is the only route to take.
- Choose Report.
Don’t expect customer service to get back to you right away. It might take a day or two for them to review your report and ask for a picture of your ID. Then, once you send it, you’ll have to wait again to see if they’ll decide to resolve the issue.
Why Can’t You Update Your Birthday In The TikTok App?
According to TikTok’s community safety rules, underage accounts don’t have access to all the platform’s features. For example, adult users are the only ones that can enjoy direct messaging, doing live streams, getting and awarding gifts. In addition, the online presence of users over 13 is limited so that they can only use age-appropriate features.
Before TikTok introduced the age rules, the younger audience got exposed to all kinds of content, including videos that they should not be seeing at that age. Youngsters entered incorrect birthdays to utilize the same features as adults; thankfully, the platform found a way to stop that and introduce parental controls that partially solve this problem. Thanks to the update, every user gets age-appropriate privacy settings that ensure the content they see is suitable.
What About Creating Another Account?
Creating another account is another way to fix your mistake. Since you can’t fix your birthday in setting, and your report might not solve the problem, the only other step to take is a new account. When you create it, you’ll ensure to enter the correct birthday date, and you’ll be able to utilize all the features that are appropriate for your age according to TikTok’s safety center.
The first thing to pop into your mind is probably what will happen to your followers. Well, just like other social media apps, when you start a new account, you’ll have to do the hard work all over again. However, there’s no need to worry because you can always turn to a great TikTok growth service to attract more organic followers who will interact with your content.
Conclusion
We all wish that changing the age on this platform was more straightforward, but rules are here to be followed. TikTok’s age restrictions are pretty strict, and they exist for a reason. Children under the age of 13 aren’t allowed to have accounts on the platform, making it easier for their parents to control what their kids will watch. The ones older than 13 will only be exposed to content that’s appropriate for their age.
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