TikTok, Content Forum, And MCMC Join Forces To Launch #ThinkTwice Parental Advisory On Digital Youth Wellbeing

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In commemoration of World Children’s Day, TikTok partnered with the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (Content Forum) and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to launch the #ThinkTwice Parental Advisory, providing guardians with practical guidance to safeguard their teens’ digital experiences.

The joint advisory, part of TikTok’s ongoing #ThinkTwice digital literacy initiative, called for a community-wide and evidence-based approach to online safety. It underscored the need for proportional collective responsibility of parents, platforms, and policymakers, while also respecting the internationally recognised rights of children to access information, express views, protect privacy, and have freedom of thought.

Firdaus Fadzil, Malaysia Head of Public Policy, TikTok, emphasised: “Most of the
challenges faced by youths today are not new. In fact, issues such as bullying, peer
pressure, mental health struggles, and harmful habits predate even the internet. Parents and guardians are the primary source of guidance for youths, because they are the closest to their children and know their needs best. Hence, we aim to empower parents by equipping them with knowledge and tools to raise digital natives responsibly so that our youths will be better prepared to navigate the online world safely. To translate vision into action, our ThinkTwice Parental Advisory aims to help parents play an active role in safeguarding their teens’ digital experiences by utilising TikTok’s robust safety measures, consistent with findings from global research”.

Mediha Mahmood, CEO of Content Forum, echoed the sentiment: “Online safety is not about disproportionately removing teens’ access from digital spaces. The internet only mirrors social issues that we already face offline. Culture comes from communities and good habits start from home, so it is clear that digital wellbeing among youths cannot be achieved in isolation. Instead, it is imperative that we empower parents to nurture creativity alongside caution by encouraging healthy routines and facilitating meaningful discussions with their teens. Together, families can empower youths to develop critical thinking and grow into resilient digital talents of tomorrow”.

MCMC underscored: “We welcome TikTok’s proactive step in launching the #ThinkTwice Parental Advisory, which complements MCMC’s Kempen Internet Selamat and supports Malaysia’s ongoing commitment to a safer and more responsible digital ecosystem. Online safety is a shared responsibility that must be embraced by parents, platforms, industry, and policymakers. Platforms such as TikTok have a crucial role to play in safeguarding users while respecting the internationally recognised rights of children to access information and express their views in ways that are age-appropriate and consistent with Malaysia’s efforts to
strengthen online safety standards. Initiatives like #ThinkTwice equip families with practical tools, guidance, and awareness so that young Malaysians can explore, learn, and connect online with greater confidence and protection”.

The #ThinkTwice Parental Advisory highlights three key practical tips on digital youth wellbeing:

Supervise your Teens’ Digital Activities

• The first step in safeguarding your teens’ experience online is to understand their digital journeys.
• With the Family Pairing feature on the TikTok App, parents can link with their teens’ accounts for greater visibility on their TikTok activities.
• Once linked, the parents will be notified when their teens upload a public video, story or photo on TikTok.
• It allows parents to monitor theur teens’ app usage patterns on TikTok with the Screen Time Dashboard.
• This enables parents to stay informed and decide when to start open conversations with their teens, without disrupting their creativity or independence.
• Additionally, TikTok’s Safety By Design principles ensure that users under 16 have private accounts by default and limited features, while those under 13 are not permitted to create an account.
• Parents are encourage to regularly review their teens’ account information and settings to help ensure an age-appropriate and positive experience on TikTok.

Customise Settings Based on Your Teens’ Digital Journey

• The next step is for parents to play an active role in instilling healthy digital habits by placing guardrails.
• Parents can set their teens’ screen time limit on the linked account directly on Family Pairing, including scheduling time-away periods when TikTok will be unavailable, as well as muting notifications.
• Additionally, parents also decide whether their teens’ account is private or public, along with determining who can send direct messages or message requests to their teens.
• Through TikTok’s Manage Topics feature, users can take control and customies how often content related to over 10 popular topics is recommended in their For You Feed (FYF) based on their own preferences, including creative arts, travel, nature, sports, and more.
• These content preferences will be visible to the parents’ linked account via the Family Pairing feature.
• By combining over 50 features and settings on teens’ TikTok accounts, along with Family Pairing and active guidance, parents can empower their teens to safely discover, create, and connect online with a controlled and sercure digital environement.

Have Open Conversations About Digital Literacy

• The finals step in fostering digital wellbeing is for parents to maintain an open and ongoing dialogue with their teens.
• It is essential to hear directly from teens about any emerging trends, risks or uncomfortable experiences they encounter online.
• Parents can use insights from Family Pairing to guide discussions about sensitive topics, while helping their teens understand safe interactions and how to use tools such as blocking or reporting.
• Regular conversations allow parents to adapt as their teens’ digital jurney evolves, including staying aware of emerging risks and new forms of circumvention.
• With TikTok’s #ThinkTwice knowledge hub, parents and teens are further equipped with accessible resources to strengthen digital literacy and discernment, covering areas like scam prevention and mental health awareness.

For more information about TikTok’s #ThinkTwice digital literact initiative, visit the in-app knowledge hub HERE.

For more information about TikTok’s Family Pairing feature, along with its step-by-step guide, click HERE.

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