It’s no surprise that TikTok is facing lawsuits from the Ontario school board. But it’s interesting to know that Apple acknowledged that TikTok was inappropriate for children and privately pressured the company to reconsider its recommended age rating.
In yet another case of incorrectly redacted documents, some interesting findings have been revealed about TikTok and its relationship with Apple. Documents from an ongoing court case in South Carolina against TikTok showed that Apple assembled a team in 2022 to review the app’s age rating. After the inspection, Apple strongly recommended that TikTok increase its age rating from 12 years and older to 17 years and older. Their findings showed that the app had “frequent or intense mature or suggestive content,” which was not in line with TikTok’s own claims.
“We hope you will consider making the necessary changes to follow the App Retailer review guidelines and resubmit,” Apple wrote at the time. This did not result in changes being made.
When looking for comparable apps, Reddit, Discord, and X are recommended for users 17 and older. Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat, on the other hand, are recommended for users over 12 years old. It’s unclear what separates the content of these apps in relation to their age ratings.
Currently, TikTok is fighting a war in both the court of law and the court of public opinion. Although it is the most used application in the world at the moment, its safety has been questioned, especially for children and teenagers. And that’s not to mention the security risks associated with the service.
All of this comes amid a series of other documents that reveal that the company is aware that its “Time limit tool” is ineffective and that the youngest public is the most susceptible. Only time will tell if the app will be banned or not. For now, it’s probably safer to just scroll mobile syrup.
Through: Engadget
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