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Originally published here
TikTok has become a hot political potato. Does this mean that our children who use this video-sharing app are they at risk? Should parents be worried?
If you’re a parent here are the issues.
Never has an app for young people been so popular. Last count it has 800 million users, the app has been downloaded over 2 billion times worldwide 500 million downloads from India, 180 million from China, and 130 million from USA. TikTok recently broke all records ever for the most downloaded app in a quarter yearly period, with 315 million downloads globally in the first 3 months of this year.
Australian Children
Its popularity with Aussie kids/teens has sky-rocketed. Around 1.6 million Australians use the app, most of whom are children and teens. That equates to around 40% of Aussie school students.
Our children however are caught in the middle of menacing political pressure that has emerged around the app. Due to its massive popularity, TikTok has become the piggy in the middle of a political backlash between USA and China.
There is no hint of this stopping our TikTok-ing children. For them its business as usual creating and uploading videos of themselves lip-synching, singing, dancing, or just talking. The most recent trend on TikTok -Taylor Swift Love Story dance- has seen over 1.5 million video uploads in around 2 weeks alone.
Should children still be using the app?
The latest political issues around TikTok raises questions around whether children should be on this platform right now. More extensively, as we see copycat sites like Instagram Reels being launched, whether children should be using any social media platforms that focuses on them sharing videos of themselves at all.
Let me weigh out the pros and cons.
Pros of TikTok
The app has filled a genuine social need for this age group. Social media sites can offer a sense of belonging to a group, such as a group focused on a particular interest, experience, social group or religion. TikTok celebrates diversity and inclusivity. It can provide a place where young people can join together to support each other in their needs.
During COVID TikTok has had huge numbers of videos with coronavirus-related hashtags like #quarantine (25 billion views), #happyathome (11.5 billion views) and #safehands (4.1 billion views). Some of these videos are funny, some are songs and/or dance. The World Health Organisation even posted their own youth oriented videos on the platform to provide young people with reliable public health advice about Covid.
The key benefit is that this platform became the place where young people joined together from all corners of the planet, to understand and take the stressful edge off the pandemic for themselves and others their age. Where else could they do that? The mental health benefits this offers can be important.
Another benefit lies in the creativity that TikTok centres on. Passive use of technology such as scrolling social media with no purpose can manifest as addictive types of screen behaviours for young people such as consistently checking their screen. Whereas planning and creating content such as making their own videos, is meaningful use of technology and curbs addictive technology behaviours. In other words if young people are going to use technology, then using it creatively, purposefully and with meaning is the type of use we want to encourage.
Cons of TikTok
It’s not all good though.
Like every social media site TikTok syphons huge amounts of personal information about its users. For this reason users of social media platforms must be at least 13 years old. Knowing much of its users are children TikTok was fined by $US5.8 million to settle US Government claims it illegally and knowingly collected personal information from children. It’s still however continues to do this.
Other risks TikTok poses for children include an insurmountable amount of hidden advertising and misinformation on the platform, and social/political movements parents may not be comfortable with their child being involved in. Black Lives Matter was very prominent in TikTok videos. Also Trump’s recent rally had millions of no-show participants mainly it seems because TikTok users banded together to show their lack of support for him.
In addition, like all social media platforms, children are engaging in a space in which random others can contact them, they may be engaging in adults concepts they are not yet mature enough for, and dealing with a huge amount of information which can be overwhelming. This can be distracting and decrease focus on other aspects of their life including schoolwork.
Tips for parents
Below are tips for keeping your child safe, as well as getting the most out of the creative/educational aspects of the app.
As with any social network, use privacy settings to limit how much information your child is sharing.
If your child is creating a video ensure it is reviewed or edited before its uploaded to ensure it doesn’t include content that can be misconstrued or have negative implications.
If a child younger than 13 years wants to use the app, there’s a section for this younger age group that includes additional safety and privacy features.
If you’re ok with your child creating videos for TikTok then creating a video together, or helping them plan and film the video, can be a great parent-child bonding activity.
Be aware of the collection of data by TikTok and encourage your child to be aware of it. Help them to know what they are giving away and the implications for them.
Give your child the best advice and guidance around technology https://www.techclever.education
