Platform

TikTok Expands Mental Health Initiatives With $2.3M Fund, In-App Meditation Features

Published on May 19, 2025

TikTok has launched new mental health and well-being features across its platform while expanding funding for mental health organizations, amid ongoing regulatory scrutiny and legal challenges concerning teen user safety.

The company has extended its in-app guided meditation exercises to all users following testing that showed 98% of teens maintained the meditation feature when active. The platform’s “Meditation in Sleep Hours” function interrupts the For You feed with guided meditation exercises after 10 p.m. for users under 18, with a second, harder-to-dismiss prompt for continued use.

Adult users can activate this feature through Screen Time settings. TikTok partnered with child psychiatrist Dr. Willough Jenkins to demonstrate the feature’s benefits for developing healthy digital habits.

TikTok has also unveiled a $2.3 million donation in ad credits to 31 mental health organizations across 22 countries. Five U.S. organizations receiving support include the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, Koko, Crisis Text Line, Peer Health Exchange, and Active Minds.

Since its establishment in 2023, the Mental Health Education Fund has generated 173 million content impressions, 600,000 new followers for participating organizations, 200,000 web visits, and 486 volunteer recruitments through $7.3 million in total donations.

Result of Regulatory Pressure?

In October 2024, 14 state attorneys general, led by New York and California, filed lawsuits alleging that TikTok damages young users’ mental health and collects data from children under 13 without parental consent.

@drwilloughjenkins
Sleep is one of the most powerful tools we have for mental health, especially for teens. But winding down isn’t always easy. That’s why I’m loving TikTok’s new Meditation in Sleep Hours feature. It helps teens and adults step away from the scroll and into a calmer night with guided meditations, soft music, and reminders when it’s time to rest. To turn it on: Go to Settings and Privacy > Screen Time > Sleep Hours Set your bedtime, and let the app help you unwind. Let’s build better sleep habits, together. #TikTokPartner #TikTokMeditation #SleepWell #BetterSleep Try the Meditation in Sleep Hours feature now in your TikTok settings.
♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a separate lawsuit in August 2024, accusing TikTok of unlawfully collecting children’s data and impeding parental account control. TikTok disputed these allegations, stating many relate to past practices that have been addressed.

The platform reportedly removes approximately 6 million accounts monthly for age restriction violations and 20 million accounts quarterly for being underage. In December 2024, TikTok announced plans to prevent users under 18 from accessing beauty filters that artificially alter facial features.

These developments occur as social media platforms face increasing regulatory pressure worldwide, including stricter regulations in the UK and Australia implementing age restrictions for platform access.