TikTok’s Mindfulness Tool Encourages UK Teens to Wind Down After 10pm

TikTok is rolling out a new mindfulness tool aimed at helping teens disconnect before bed.

The "Wind Down" feature will activate automatically for users under 16 if they are on the app after 10 pm, pausing the For You feed with a full-screen takeover and calming music.

In the coming weeks, TikTok plans to test additional meditation exercises as part of this initiative.

This marks a significant step, as it is believed to be the first time a social media platform has directly integrated mindfulness tools into its user experience.

Parental Control Enabled

TikTok is also expanding its parental control options with a new feature called "Time Away," allowing parents to block teen access to the app during designated periods, such as family meals, school hours, bedtime, or vacations.

Previously, TikTok and other social media platforms only offered screen time limits in hours or overnight but lacked the ability to set specific schedules throughout the day.

Val Richey, TikTok’s global head of outreach and partnerships in trust and safety, emphasized the company’s commitment to providing "ongoing support" for teen well-being. h

He said:

"That means exploring new ways to help guide teens in developing healthy digital habits. It can’t just be about block and prevent. It has to be about education and development. The idea is based on some research that we’ve reviewed around meditation being helpful in improving sleep quality, and certainly, I think there’s a lot of people who that will resonate with. We really want to push the envelope a little bit and try being creative – it’s not something that we’ve seen before.”

TikTok’s Family Pairing Update

As part of TikTok’s Family Pairing tools, the latest update enhances parental oversight by allowing parents to see their child’s followers and blocked accounts.

This feature builds on existing tools that let parents link their accounts to their child’s and monitor app usage.

Richey emphasized the platform’s goal of balancing teen independence with parental supervision.

He added:

"This is exactly the balance that we’re always trying to strike between giving teens some agency and some privacy, but also helping make sure that parents have enough visibility into what their teens are doing, and providing an environment where important conversations can happen. We want to be collaborative in how teens develop healthy digital habits and also interact with their parents.”

While the initiative seeks to foster healthier digital habits for users under 16, the real question remains—will it really encourage mindfulness or simply provoke teenage defiance?