China’s version of TikTok is limiting kids to 40 minutes a day
Douyin will also be unavailable to those users between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the owner of TikTok and Douyin added.
The company also urged parents to help their children register with real names, or otherwise manually enable “teenage mode.” ByteDance did not immediately respond to a question from CNN Business about how it might enforce the policy for those who don’t use their real names.
The app also said it would introduce new content — ranging from science experiments and museums to art gallery exhibition and natural scenery — to “inspire” younger teens.
Limiting usage of Douyin is a “proactive measure” by ByteDance to get ahead of potential regulation, analysts at Citigroup Global Markets wrote in a Monday research note. They suggested that the decision could push other internet platforms with short video content to look at implementing similar restrictions.
“Self-assessment and voluntary implementation of minor-protection measures by more platforms could help suggest platforms are being more socially responsible and potentially reassure parents and regulators,” they added.
Chinese regulators have already started pressuring tech companies to curb the amount of time minors spend on their services.
— CNN’s Beijing bureau contributed to this report.
