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Why has my TikTok account been automatically turned private?


We are going to explain why in some cases, TikTok accounts are going private automatically. This is a new security measure announced by TikTok around the world. Your goal is to protect the accounts of underage users so that they are not so exposed to people with bad intentions.

In addition to the default change in the privacy of Tik Tok, which we will explain in a simple way, it has also announced other complementary measures that we are also going to tell you. These will be implemented possibly in the coming days. In the article, we’ll also clarify who this TikTok change is going to affect specifically.

Which accounts will become private and why

As announced by TikTok, this measure will apply to user accounts between 13 and 15 years old, the youngest who are allowed to register and use this popular application. If you are older than this age, the measure will not affect you.

What TikTok is going to do is change account settings to be private by default. So far, all TikTok accounts are public by default. If you sign up and don’t change anything, everyone can see your content. What is going to happen now is that in this age group the accounts will be private by default, that is, if a minor of those years registers, automatically and unless he does not touch anything, his account will be private.

When an account is set to private, it means that only people who are approved as followers will be able to see the content. Therefore, if you have a private account and I want to see your content, I will have to send you a request to be able to follow you, and you will have to accept it when it arrives.

The intention of TikTok with these changes is that younger users have more control over the decisions to make about their privacy. Therefore, by default your accounts will be private, and the decision to change them to make them public will have to be yours, not an automatic service configuration.

These changes will begin to apply from today, so if you are a minor or a parent of a minor, and your account or your account has not yet been converted to private, it will be something that will probably happen during the next few hours.

Other changes that will also be made

In addition to the change to the default account type settings, users under the age of 16 will also experience other default changes. For example, the Everyone option is removed in the settings of who can configure their videos, and now they can only choose between Friends and Nobody.

Besides this, Only those over 16 years old will be able to use the Duet and Paste functions, and for those between 16 and 17 years old, by default only friends will be able to make these options, although this default configuration can be changed manually in the latter cases.

Only users over 16 years of age may allow their videos to be downloaded In the configuration of your profile, and in those who are 16 to 17 years old, this feature can be activated, although it will be deactivated by default.

By last, the option to recommend your account to others will be disabled by default in minor accounts who are between 13 and 15 years old. All these measures have been taken, according to Tik Tok, to protect the privacy and integrity of its youngest users, and that other people do not take advantage of them.

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VPN protects your private data – here is how

Ever since the internet became one of the main sources of information and entertainment people have been struggling on how to properly protect their private data. When connected to the public internet you share the same connection with other people, which can leave you vulnerable at a certain point.

Online security is an important part of our internet experience

One of the most common threats online is cybercriminals, such as hackers, scammers or phishers. By collecting your private data and being able to track you via your IP address, these hackers can seriously endanger your privacy of personal information. So lately, people have started using VPN – software that provides adequate protection to the user while online. In this article, we will talk about how a VPN can protect your private data.

What is VPN and how can it protect your private data

VPN or Virtual Private Network is an essential internet tool that provides the user with adequate protection and online anonymity. There are many features that this server provides and some of the main are:

  • Online anonymity – Many websites can track their visitors using cookies. These cookies are used to collect the data of the user and adjust the marketing aspect of the website to suit the user needs. Your real IP address pinpoints the exact geographical location you are in and if this falls into wrong hands there can be consequences. VPN hides the real IP address of the user and replaces it with a virtual one, which makes it impossible for anyone to track down where the connection is coming from
  • Unblocking content – Many websites and streaming platforms bound the user to be in a certain geographical location to view the content they offer. While using VPN you can easily bypass all of these blocks, as well as internet censorships (which are usually done by governments), to view the content you desire without limitations.
  • Internet traffic encryption – By using strong encryption protocols VPN protects your private data from any third-party viewers. This protocol adds an extra layer of security for the user as the internet traffic being sent from the user device will be impossible to breach through. This is one of the main features of VPN and the sole reason it increases the privacy of the user while online.

Once you enter a website, your real IP address will automatically send the information about where you are located and this is used to push advertisements that will suit your needs. Although this seems like a harmful thing some people view it as an invasion of privacy. However, once you have connected to a VPN it changes the IP address and thus protects the user from any forms of privacy invasion.

Once the user is connected to VPN it can safely browse the internet without fearing about any data being leaked or abused. VPN offers the client a list of servers from all around the world to choose from, allowing the user to have control over where he wants to be connected to. This is a great feature for anyone who has to work and travel, making it easier to gain access to different websites.

What to look for in a VPN

There are many VPN providers out there who offer their clients services which regard their online privacy. Internet privacy is an important factor in our time and age, as the usage of the internet on a daily basis keeps increasing. Therefore, as you will encounter many different VPN providers, you should choose the one that suits your needs the best. Doing a thorough research and finding out which options suit you the best will have the best outcome. However, we list some of the main features a good VPN provider should have:

  • Internet connection speed
  • Amount of features for the subscription price
  • High quality encrypting protocols
  • 24/7 available customer service
  • Transparent and trustworthy user policies
  • No-log or low-log policy

Yes, VPN can protect your private data and keep it outside of reach from many third-parties roaming the internet. However, opting for the one that offers you the best features is important. Do the research, see what other providers are offering for their services and this will help you determine what the average price for the service is.

Something worth noting is that you should always try to subscribe to a provider that offers a no-log policy because this means that once the user has disconnected from the server all of the information (like internet, download and browsing history) will be deleted immediately. The point of a VPN is to maximize the user privacy online and a VPN who collects your data when you are using it is doing the opposite of that. VPN can also be used to increase online privacy on social media as well.

Is VPN crucial for internet privacy?

Well, yes. You being online can leave you vulnerable to cybercriminals and tracking or surveillance methods. Tracking and surveillance is usually done by the government and the ISP (Internet Service Provider). This surveillance is usually done to prevent any illegal activities online on time. However, this does not mean that they do not invade our privacy. That is why VPN is crucial. VPN protects your private data while you are online and no one can track or hack you. It is completely legal and its main purpose is found in many business models. Many companies use VPN to allow workers remote-access working which allows them to work freely without being bound to a geographical location.