When I was asked to investigate if CapCut is safe for kids, I was skeptical I’d uncover any risks worth alerting parents about. I’ve used CapCut for light video editing, and it seemed innocuous.
I stand corrected.
CapCut has benefits for kids and it’s possible to use it safely, but there are also some big risks.
CapCut is a video editing tool developed by TikTok’s parent company that’s popular with young users. It’s designed for creating short-form content to post on social media.
With CapCut’s wide arsenal of tools, users can:
The minimum age to use CapCut is 13, but verification is only a user-provided birthdate, so it’s easy to bypass.
CapCut doesn’t have parental controls. There also aren’t meaningful privacy or content settings. Users can delete their watch history, making it difficult to monitor what your child views.
To understand the risks to kids, you have to understand the CapCut Creator program, which introduces social-media-like elements to the app.
There’s no direct message feature, but strangers can still connect with your child:
With BrightCanary monitoring, you can see what your child is messaging on all the apps they use — including CapCut.
Nudity isn’t allowed, but it slips through. You’ll also find mature themes, explicit language, and clothed but suggestive videos in templates. There are also videos which are blurred out with the text “Export to see.” By downloading the video and then re-uploading it to CapCut, users can remove the top layer to expose the underlying (often explicit) content.
CapCut’s filters can do everything from light retouches like smoothing skin to mimicking cosmetic procedures by reshaping the body and facial features. Manipulated videos like this create a distorted idea of beauty and can lead to lower body image and self-esteem.
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok and CapCut isn’t known for its prudent use of user data. This includes accusations that they harvest significantly more data than similar platforms and even that they share user data with the Chinese government.
These allegations relate to TikTok, but it doesn’t instill confidence in how they handle CapCut user data.
If your child joins the Creator program and starts posting templates, they have no control over how others will use their videos.
Once content is posted, CapCut instantly retains a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable license to use, edit, distribute, and sublicense content your child uploads to the platform. They can do so on any platform and for broad purposes.
Yikes.
There are compelling reasons to let kids use CapCut:
But, as with any app parents let their kids use, you’ll have to weigh the cost vs. reward and whether CapCut is safe for your kids.
Tell them not to link their CapCut to social media accounts, and emphasize never sharing personal info with strangers.
BrightCanary can help you monitor your child on CapCut, even if they delete their viewing history. BrightCanary monitors everything they type so you can see what your child searches on CapCut, the comments they leave, and the messages they send on other apps. You also get real-time alerts to any red flags.
When used to edit and create videos, CapCut can be a great means of creative expression for kids. But the social-media-like templates feature introduces risks like exposure to strangers and inappropriate material. Tell your child not to share personal information and monitor their use.
