TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users. While it can be fun and entertaining, you may occasionally encounter another user that you want to block or restrict. Here are some best practices for doing so.
Table of Contents
Blocking Another User
Blocking another user on TikTok is straightforward:
- Open the TikTok app and go to the profile of the user you want to block
- Tap on their profile picture or username to access their profile
- Tap on the share arrow icon in the top right corner
- This will open a menu with various options
- Select “Block” and confirm your choice
- The user will now be blocked and unable to view your profile or content
To unblock a user:
- Go to their profile
- Tap on the “Unblock” button
Blocking users prevents them from:
- Viewing your profile or posts
- Commenting on your content
- Messaging you directly
- Finding you in search results
Essentially, it removes their access to interact with you or your TikTok presence in any way.
Restricting Another User
If you don’t necessarily want to do a full block, you can also restrict another user. Here’s how:
- Go to their profile
- Tap on the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner
- Select “Report” from the dropdown menu
- Choose “Report user” and select the reason
- Such as “Bullying or harassment”, “Hate speech”, etc.
- Confirm your report
Reporting a user doesn’t directly block them, but can lead to restrictions placed on their account by TikTok if they are found to violate community guidelines.
Some restrictions that TikTok may take include:
- Disabling their ability to post new videos for a period of time
- Removing their existing videos and comments
- Banning them from live streaming
- Suspending their account altogether
So while reporting isn’t a direct block, it can effectively restrict their ability to post content and interact with others.
Managing Your Blocked Users List
To view a list of all users you have blocked or unblock people:
- Go to your profile
- Tap the three-line menu icon in the top right corner
- Select “Settings and privacy”
- Choose “Privacy”
- Select “Blocked accounts”
- This shows everyone you have blocked
- Tap “Unblock” to remove someone from the list
Enabling Restricted Mode
TikTok offers a Restricted Mode that limits the appearance of content that may be inappropriate. To enable it:
- Go to your profile
- Tap the three-line menu icon
- Choose “Digital Wellbeing”
- Select “Turn on Restricted Mode”
- Toggle the switch on
Restricted Mode uses automation and human moderation to filter out potentially mature content. Keep in mind it’s not 100% comprehensive, so you should still monitor your child’s usage.
Family Pairing
TikTok provides a Family Pairing feature to link a parent/guardian’s account to their teen’s account. This allows parents to:
- Control screen time limits
- Restrict direct messaging
- Limit content visibility
- And more
To set up Family Pairing:
- Have both users update to the latest version of TikTok
- Go to your profile > Settings and privacy > Digital Wellbeing > Family Pairing
- Choose “Parent” and scan the QR code from teen’s device
Once linked, you can manage various parental control settings for their account.
Additional Privacy Settings
Under Settings > Privacy, you can also update things like:
- Suggested users
- Video visibility
- Liked videos visibility
- Profile photo visibility
- Comment filters
- And more
Adjust these to limit what information is visible to other users.
Conclusion
TikTok provides users several options for blocking, restricting, and limiting visibility of other accounts. By blocking users, you can prevent them from interacting with you. Restricting users through reporting can reduce their ability to post content if they violate guidelines. Features like Restricted Mode, Family Pairing, and privacy settings give users more control over what they see and share on TikTok. Pay close attention to these tools to manage your TikTok experience.
