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We believe that this app is not safe for students to use without adult supervision.
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TikTok is a very popular video app among teens and tweens. Users can upload and share 60-second videos of themselves dancing, lip-syncing, or doing dangerous or provocative stunts. Parents must learn what TikTok, then talk with their children about the proper use of the application.
- TikTok had 800 million monthly active users in April 2020, according to DataReportal.com
- The average user spends 52 minutes per day on TikTok. (The source: Business Of Apps)
- 90% of users TikTok visit the app more than once a day. (The source: GlobalWebIndex)
- The average time spent in the application, according to TikTok, is almost 5 minutes, longer than Snapchat and Instagram. (The source: Digiday)
What is TikTok ?
TikTok is an app that allows users to watch and download 60-second videos of everything from dancing to lip-syncing to funny animal videos.
A “For You” page is organized for each user, based on the interests you choose when creating a profile. Users can follow, comment and like each video.
The accounts you follow are then collected in your “Followers” feed, which you can browse to watch. The Discover feature allows you to search for accounts and hashtag that interest you.
What students think of the app TikTok (video interview)
TikTok in the news
Vivian Manning-Schaffel said NBC News her 12-year-old daughter is “obsessed with TikTok. She loves editing videos and lip-syncing, and this app lets her do what she loves. She can create funny and humorous scenarios and express herself with songs.
But another mom, Tricia Cuthbertson, has a warning for other parents. She told NBC News that her daughter's friend downloaded TikTok on his daughter's phone to post videos of the two of them. “Within an hour, she had 20 followers, all men, and they were starting to make [inappropriate] comments. »
“Technology website Motherboard investigated the app and found a large community of adult users on TikTok soliciting nude photos of children. Some of these users even sent explicit videos to children. – WDBJ7
“A… football player was fired from the team Friday, and several others will face “serious consequences” after recording and sharing a video TikTok bullying a classmate” – WCPO Cincinnati
What some parents say about TikTok
** Attention .... this app contains adult video content! **
After I started exploring the app, I realized that at the bottom of the video people could put hashtag. I clicked on a hashtag, which led to another video with a different suggestively sounding hashtag at the bottom that I clicked on, which then led me to videos of adult content.
- Parent on Common sense media
Caution! Great fun but not for tweens!
The BIG problem is that much of the music and sound clips available contain all of the very adult language and innuendos you hear on the radio. So, when left on her own, I found my 10 year old lip synchronizing suggestive words that she didn't even understand… The worst part is that the scoring system is becoming addictive… [My daughter] and her friends kept pushing the envelope to see how many "likes" they could get. What was originally supposed to be a private account became public for the sake of getting approval from strangers.
- Parent on Common sense media
What can parents do?
- Know your child's username and follow it
- Have younger students set up their account on private
- Use TikTok Family twinning functionality
- Keep an open dialogue about the types of videos they watch and post
- Become an expert TikTok and learn about app security settings in our new How to Work course Tik Tok and how to make it safer for students
- Let your students know that negative messages can come back to damage their reputation in the future, especially with colleges and future employers.
- Remind your teen that it's okay to be silly and have fun on social media as long as he's positive and kind to others
Potential negative effects of TikTok
Addiction: Since the app offers an “endless stream” of material, students are likely to spend a lot of time in the app and may even become addicted to watching videos for hours on end.
Intimidation: A high school principal in New York told Smart Social founder Josh Ochs that students were being bullied on TikTok. Some students make fun of each other's videos, while others make videos just to ridicule their classmates.
Comparison: Some students make outrageous, even dangerous, videos to get more likes and followers. Hashtag challenges are an easy way to earn likes, but some of the challenges are not suitable for tweens and teens.
Safety concerns: Applications like TikTok can easily be used by predators to solicit minors, as the app makes it easy for strangers to message children. “There are no restrictions on who can join the app and it is used internationally, connecting virtually everyone,” explained digital family expert Theresa Desuyo of the control software company parental. Qustodio.
Mental Health: Some experts report that it can be easy to find trigger content on the app that might promote issues like self-harm or eating disorders.
How Bad Content Affects Students on Social Media (Student Interview)
Conclusion
TikTok is a fun and creative outlet for users to post dance compilations, tell funny jokes, and show off their talents. But some content posted by users may contain explicit language, suggestive themes and obscene gestures.
Smart Social recommends using the app's family matching feature and talking with your students about safe and smart social media practices, if you allow them to use the app TikTok.
