TikTok has announced a major change that will affect users under the age of 18 'automatically' within 'the coming weeks'.

The social media giant has confirmed a series of new features that are designed to improve the well-being of its younger users and support their families. 

The popular app will introduce custom screen time limits, and new default settings for teen accounts as well as expanded parental controls through 'Family Pairing'.

Here are all the changes set to hit the app very soon and what you can expect.

Glasgow Times: TikTok is indroducing a batch of new wellbeing features. ( PA)TikTok is indroducing a batch of new wellbeing features. ( PA) (Image: PA)

What changes is TikTok introducing?

Custom daily screen time limits

Every account belonging to a user under the age of 18 will have a 60-minute daily screen time limit implemented automatically in the coming weeks.

TikTok's decision to introduce the limit comes after a consultation with current academic research and experts from the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital.

Once the 60-minute limit is reached, the teen user needs to enter a passcode in order to continue watching.

Users in TikTok's under 13 experience will also see their screen time limit automatically limited to an hour.

A parent or guardian needs to set a passcode to enable 30 minutes of additional watch time.

TikTok is allowing caregivers to customize the daily screen time limit for their children.

While this can involve the time spent on the device, they can also set different time limits depending on the day of the week.

The new feature is designed to give families more choices to match screen time to school schedules as well as holiday breaks and free time.

Screen time dashboard

TikTok's Family Pairing feature is also getting its own screen time dashboard.

The handy new tool summarises a user's time on the app, the number of times it was opened and a breakdown of total time spent during the day and night.

The change follows TikTok's research which reported that one of the topics parents most frequently discuss with their teens is screen time.

Mute notifications

Parents will be able to set a schedule to mute notifications for their teenagers under the new features.

It is already TikTok's policy that accounts aged 13-15 already do not receive push notifications from 9 pm.

Meanwhile, those aged 16-17 have push notifications disabled from 10 pm.

It appears that the screen time limits aren't just for the younger generation either with TikTok teasing that everyone will soon be able to put in place "customized screen time limits for each day of the week and set a schedule to mute notifications".

TikTok is also rolling out a sleep reminder to help people more easily plan when they want to be offline at night.

Users will be able to set a time, and when it's reached, a pop-up will remind them it's time to log off.

Following the news, TikTok users have flooded social media with their thoughts about the changes.

One person shared on Twitter: "I am oddly in support of this. although it will suck for those under 18 that use tiktok for income purposes."

Amid an increase in searches for 'how to change your age on TikTok', one user joked: "suddenly everyone on tiktok is over 18."

While a third chimed in: "Its actually good, tiktok can be very addictive, i think even 30 minutes is even better".

Is TikTok getting banned in the UK?

Glasgow Times: There has been wide spread speculation over whether TikTok will be banned in the UK. (PA)There has been wide spread speculation over whether TikTok will be banned in the UK. (PA) (Image: PA)

The major announcement follows news that Canada would be banning the use of the social media app TikTok on all government-issued devices following security concerns.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that there were security concerns surrounding the app, saying: "This may be the first step, this may be the only step we need to take."

Responding to the banning, TikTok shared that they acknowledged the decision but were disappointed. 

The app claimed that the ban took place "without citing any specific security concerns about TikTok or contacting us to discuss any concern prior to making this decision".

According to Indy100, Prime Minster Rishi Sunak has been avoiding calls regarding the potential to ban government officials from using TikTok. 

But some Conservatives MPs have shown some concern towards the use of the app and are asking the PM to consider the move.

Chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Alicia Kearns, is asking for the government to ban the social media platform as she told The Telegraph: "We’ve now seen both the EU and the US take action on TikTok over security concerns: the acquisition of our personal data by a hostile state.

"The government needs to review its policies and look to ban government officials and parliamentary staff from installing the app on any mobile phones utilised for work, if not any device."

Previously, the UK's parliament TikTok account was shut down after MPs showed their concerns about the app's links to China. 

However, concern has not stopped the app from becoming increasingly popular with politicians with some MPs gaining thousands of followers. 

A No 10 spokesperson has given a comment on if the app will be banned in the UK. 

They said: "We [No 10] have got a TikTok account, but I don’t think we’ve put anything on it for a little while now. 

"It’s for individual departments and ministers to choose which social media platforms they want to use.”