CapCut’s Hidden Dangers for Kids—What Parents Need To Know

Alicia Smith* and her partner consider themselves tech-savvy parents. They restrict the apps their children have access to and neither is allowed to have social media yet. That’s why when one of their children asked for CapCut, they allowed it, not realizing it had a social component.

“We thought it was just a video editing app,” she says. “More insidious, we didn’t realize people were creating videos with their phone numbers as content, saying things like, ‘I’m bored’ or ‘If you’re bored text me.’ That’s what got my oldest’s attention. They reached out to a user on the platform.”

Smith and her partner found the exchange, and two others, when they randomly checked their child’s phone. “It’s terrifying to think what could have happened if we didn’t find the exchanges when we did and if we didn’t intervene,” says Smith.

CapCut, the popular video editing tool preferred by many TikTok users, was released internationally in 2020. While it says users should be at least 13 years old to have an account, experts are concerned by the lack of parental controls, which can put kids’ and teens’ physical and emotional well-being at risk.

“CapCut is a powerful creative tool, but without built-in filters or age controls and with a public templates feed,” says Zishan Khan, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and the regional medical director with Mindpath Health. “The lack of moderation in CapCut, combined with indirect access from strangers or trend pressure, can influence a child’s sense of safety and boundaries.”

Dr. Khan and other experts say parental involvement and guidance are key. That starts with awareness of what CapCut is and what controls parents have.

What Is CapCut?

CapCut is a video editing app developed by ByteDance. Sound familiar?

“It’s the same company behind TikTok,” says Titania Jordan, the chief parenting officer at Bark Technologies and author of Parental Control: A Guide to Raising Balanced Kids in the Digital Era. “It’s basically where everyone goes to make their own versions of the TikTok videos that are trending.”

Jordan explains that CapCut lets users take videos and photos. They can “dress them up” with music, filters, stickers, text, and transitions. Kids can also select from a library of ready-made templates so that they can “quickly create trendy clips that look professional.”

CapCut is accessible on mobile devices, desktops, and on a web browser, so Jordan notes that kids can access the app from almost anywhere. Users can link CapCut to social accounts like TikTok for quick, essentially automatic video uploads.

While there is no direct message or chat feature within CapCut, users can interact via comments or through the linked social media accounts.

What Are the Risks of CapCut for Kids?

The first—and arguably most glaring flag the experts we spoke with mention—is the lack of parental controls. That means parents can’t control what their child sees or who they interact with.

“Kids can be exposed to inappropriate content, ranging from profanity and violence to sexually suggestive videos,” Jordan warns. “There are also privacy concerns, as CapCut collects user data and claims broad rights over anything uploaded, including your child’s voice and image.”

CapCut forbids users from uploading content that contains nudity, but content has slipped through the cracks in the past, says Yaron Litwin, an online safety expert at Canopy. The content needs to be reported and removed. Until then? Kids can continue to view them. As Litwin points out, “The lack of parental controls means that those videos cannot be filtered out.”

And back to the age minimum of 13. Jordan says that does little to keep younger kids from signing up, using the app, and viewing inappropriate content—and worse.

“When you add in weak age verification, open comment sections, and links to TikTok or other platforms, the risk of strangers contacting kids becomes very real,” Jordan says. “Beyond that, the app can fuel oversharing, self-esteem struggles due to filters and trends, and the pressure to upgrade to obtain premium features in the app.”

The self-esteem issues particularly trouble Dr. Khan. But he’s also concerned with reports that users can display phone numbers and invite strangers to contact them. “Sometimes kids mimic this behavior without understanding the risks,” Dr. Khan adds.

Additionally, Litwin points out that CapCut can contribute to increased screen time in kids and teens at the expense of real-world, face-to-face interactions and offline hobbies.

What Parents Can Do

Experts share it’s worthwhile for parents to try to help kids navigate online safety, including with CapCut.

Talk about it

After Smith and her partner discovered their child’s conversations with strangers, they immediately spoke with them about internet and phone safety. They also agreed as a family it was best to remove CapCut from their device.

Conversations like these are critical, experts say. “Open dialogue helps kids feel safe talking to you if they see something uncomfortable,” says Dr. Khan. “Educating your child, keeping social connections external, and using technical barriers all bolster resilience, emotional regulation, and digital responsibility.”

Along with online dangers, Daniel Ganjian, MD, FAAP, a board-certified pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, suggests parents talk about how apps can impact self-esteem.

“Talk about the appearance filters and how they can affect how you feel about yourself,” Dr. Ganjian adds. “This helps them understand the risks and make smart choices.”

If you’re not on CapCut or any app, Dr. Khan suggests trying it yourself—and turning conversations into a show-and-tell rather than a lecture.

“Show them how templates work and discuss why some content may feel inappropriate,” adds Dr. Khan.

Instruct kids not to link CapCut to other accounts

CapCut-created content becomes more public when linked to social media accounts like TikTok. Tell your child not to do this.

“This will help stop them from getting comments or messages from strangers,” Dr. Ganjian says. “It’s a simple step that really helps keep their exposure down.”

Remember, bad actors can still see content even if a teen’s TikTok account is set to private if they’ve accepted them as a follower in the past.

Control what you can

CapCut may not offer parental controls, but parents still have other tools. Litwin suggests putting screen time limits on a child’s phone and encouraging them to try new offline hobbies and activities.

Dr. Khan agrees that using device-level parental controls is critical. Parents can also download other services to help them rein in the use of potentially harmful apps that a young person may not be ready to try.

“Install a reputable parental control tool—examples include Qustodio, KidsGuard, and Bark—to set app limits, monitor usage, and even block CapCut if needed,” Dr. Khan says. “Since CapCut has no built-in safety settings, controlling it at the device level is essential.”

Find support

Parenting in a digital age is challenging. There may be classes or support groups in your area. Jordan also works with parents in a Facebook group called Parenting in a Tech World, where users can post questions and get answers to concerns about potentially dangerous apps and platforms.

You can also speak to your child’s health care provider, mental health provider, and even their school and local library about potential resources in your area.

*Name changed for privacy.