A big chunk of TikTok’s US users may be 14 or younger.
Angela Lang/CNET
If Microsoft, Apple and Twitter buys TikTok before President Donald Trump’s executive order against the Chinese-owned short-video app kicks in next month, it’ll apparently come with a youthful audience. Up to a third of TikTok’s 49 million daily users in the US are 14 years old or younger, according to the New York Times, which cited internal data.
That data apparently said 18 million of its daily users in July were 14 or younger, 20 million were older and the ages of the rest couldn’t be classified. In addition to using people’s self-reported ages, it estimates them by applying facial recognition algorithms and analyzing the ages of people they’re connected to, the Times reported.
Even though the minimum age for using the app is 13, a former TikTok worker reportedly noted that videos from children younger than that stayed on the app for weeks.
In an email to CNET, TikTok said it doesn’t disclose user demographics.
“We’re proud to provide a fun place for families to create content and spend time together, particularly during the pandemic,” a company spokesperson wrote. “We’re committed to protecting the privacy and safety of the people and families who come to TikTok for entertainment, self-expression, and connection.”