Warning to parents: Monitor what your kids are watching on Tiktok
A viral phenomenon with nearly 2 billion downloads, Tiktok has captivated kids, teens and millennials alike.
Tiktok is a social media platform on which users can post, share and like 30- to 60-second video clips on a vast variety of topics. If you haven’t heard of Tiktok yet, you can be sure your child or teen is fully aware.
I’m a young adult — a millennial, if you will — who regularly laughs at the short videos on Tiktok and shares them with friends daily. However, as a pediatrician, I recommend parents take caution when allowing their children and teens to use Tiktok without supervision.
Not only are the privacy issues rampant with little way to control who sees your videos, but a developing young mind should not be exposed to the majority of the adult content on Tiktok that is incredibly easy to access.
Tiktok is programed so the user will repeatedly see videos “of interest.”
This could be videos perpetuating unrealistic body standards, doing dangerous stunts or featuring seductively dancing teens posing as “dance challenges.”
While many videos are uplifting and children and teens enjoy the popular app, parents must be aware of the insidious nature of Tiktok. I implore you to sit and watch the videos with your child or teen — you might not like what you find.
Dr. Emily P. Ernest, Columbus