TikTok Allowing Teenagers to Receive Gifts During Livestreams
TikTok has expanded its Gifts feature so that teenagers aged 16 and over can receive virtual gifts from viewers during live broadcasts.
Published: 2026-04-01
What Changed
TikTok has updated its livestreaming policy to allow users aged 16 and above to receive virtual gifts from viewers during LIVE sessions. Previously, the gifting feature was restricted to users aged 18 and over. Virtual gifts are purchased by viewers using TikTok Coins and can be converted by creators into real money. Critics have raised concerns that this creates a financial incentive for teenagers to extend the length of their livestreams, engage with strangers to maximise gifting, and potentially broadcast in ways that attract attention from adults with inappropriate motivations. TikTok has stated that additional moderation measures are in place, but these have not been independently verified.
What to Review
- •Check whether your teenager has TikTok LIVE access enabled — go to their profile and look for the LIVE option.
- •Review whether your child has their date of birth correctly set on TikTok, as LIVE access and gifting eligibility is determined by the registered age.
- •Discuss with your teenager what they would do if a viewer made inappropriate comments or requests during a livestream.
Parent Actions
- 1Open TikTok > go to your child's account settings and check whether LIVE streaming is enabled. You can restrict this through TikTok Family Pairing.
- 2Set up TikTok Family Pairing (Settings > Family Pairing) to manage your teenager's account settings, including restricting direct messages and controlling who can interact with their content.
- 3Have a conversation about the risks of broadcasting to strangers and the pressure that gifting incentives can create to keep audiences engaged.
Full app guide
View the complete TikTok safety guide
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.
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Last reviewed: 2026-04-15