It seems like practically every child is on Tiktok these days. But with an AI powering it that peers into their soul to analyse their actions and serve up a seemingly never-ending slew of content that will have them hooked, it leaves me wondering….is TikTok safe for kids?

A quick search of the net shows that there have been various accounts of kids being hurt because they have been exposed to an then taken part in various ridiculous TikTok challenges.

Only a few months ago in The Independent Newspaper, a mother who said her son died after attempting a viral challenge issued a warning to parents and teenagers about the danger of the Tik Tok trend. Lauryn Keating said she found her 14-year-old son Leon Brown unresponsive in his room at their home in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire on 25 August. She later learned that he had tried the “blackout challenge”, a viral trend that is believed to have caused the brain injury which led to the death of 12-year-old Archie Battersbee in August.

Then there are the reports of a slew of paedophiles abusing TikTok to groom Children, hiding behind the safety of screens and fake user IDs to lure them in. It all makes me feel very uneasy so I asked Dr Claire Halsey of Triple P Positive Parenting Program if TikTok is safe for kids, and here’s what she had to say:

Is TikTok safe for children?

Firstly, platforms like TikTok must make keeping children and young people safe on Social Media an essential responsibility – working on more safety features, responding quickly when inappropriate or dangerous content is uploaded, and protecting user data. Parents also need tips and tools to support their young person’s safety online.  

TikTok, like other social media, can be a good platform for young people to channel their creativity, express themselves and stay in touch with friends. But, as with any other online platform, there are potential dangers.

When a teenager or young person sets up a social media account such as TikTok, parents can help them review the settings to keep their accounts private, filter out spam and offensive comments on videos, and avoid sharing personal details such as the school they attend. Encouraging them to talk to you about how they feel about a range of things, not just social media, makes it easier to offer support and guidance along the way to help them keep themselves as safe as possible online. 

Issues parents should be aware of

Parents have to make sure their children understand not to share information which could identify them in the ‘real world’ and raise their awareness that the person they are interacting with may not be genuine or as they portray themselves. [The NSPCC offers some helpful resources here.]

Sharing intimate images or even just responding to requests to share them can place children and young people in danger, and ‘grooming’ of children through emotional manipulation can happen quickly and easily. Help children recognise some of the wording or emotional appeals that may be red flags.

While there are certain safeguarding measures, they aren’t perfect. Social media is still fairly new and therefore so are the protections. The tragic death of Molly Russell just shows how much further there is to go. 

Even when parents put in protections for their children, unwanted content can slip through. Unsuitable content can appear on their ‘For You’ page, for example, through deliberately misspelt words, or songs with explicit content in the lyrics being used as the soundtrack to dance trend videos.  

Due to the nature of the TikTok algorithm, if your child interacts with this content they will be shown more of the same. To prevent them falling into a harmful internet rabbit hole, encourage open communication about what your child is viewing and invite them to join up with you for some interactive screen time.

Negative effects that TikTok can have on children

Tiktok can be very addictive for young people and adults alike. The short length of videos and highly engaging bursts of content are very appealing and this releases one of the brain’s ‘feel-good’ chemicals, dopamine, making it unsurprising that it has become the fastest growing social media platform. 

Frequent screen time is associated with a range of unhelpful outcomes including increased stress, reduced coping abilities, poorer mental health and reduced social support. It can also lead to sleep disturbances, reduced physical activity and has potential to affect critical thinking skills. 

Peer pressure can also become more intense in cyberspace and with so much information it can be hard to sift fact from fiction.

Parents often find it frustrating to compete with social media apps. It is important to create boundaries around phone and social media usage so that children learn to regulate how long they spend on it each day. 

What else can parents do? 

Parents play an important role in helping children use devices responsibly and ensuring they have chances to take part in a range of other activities.  

It’s important to remember there’s no quick fix and you should keep the conversation about technology and social media ongoing in your family. While instituting boundaries and rules can be helpful, implementing them should never come at the cost of maintaining a good relationship with your child.  

Promote good sleep hygiene in your family by limiting screen light a couple of hours before sleeping

Reduce screen time in bedrooms by making a rule that devices are not kept in those areas, especially in the evening and at night. This can be tricky if you have a child who needs to use a laptop or computer to do homework, but at least you can keep phones out of bedrooms. Rather than leaving your child to their own devices when they are doing homework, pop your head in from time to time to ensure they haven’t switched from studying to their phone. 

Encourage family quality-time and create screen-free zones (yes, even your favourite streaming services and the TV)

Agree as a family on when you’re all committed to switching off, especially at times when being on a screen becomes an alternative to talking, such as during family meals and in the car.

Create positive incentives for your kids to regulate their own screen time

You can negotiate access to devices as rewards for doing chores or homework, but be careful to use this approach sparingly. Instead, focus on positively supporting and guiding your child’s or teenager’s development rather than using screen time as a bargaining chip. Removal of devices should also not be your first option. Removal should only occur for a brief time and not be used as a long-term solution.

Encourage open discussion rather than laying down unrealistic limits

Open discussion can teach discretion and evaluation and is also a way of keeping an eye on the information and content your children or teenagers are looking at. You can teach kids to learn to identify sites and posts that are illegal, pornographic, or bullying and agree on what actions will be taken, when and by whom.

Be enthusiastic about the positives to keep the conversation open

Some parents are struggling with their own screen time and others have the opposite problem. If you are anti-technology, it can be harder to have open conversations about any online issues. You can learn from your child, ask them to show you how to do things you’re not aware of. Programmes like Teen Triple P can help parents better understand their teenagers, and help you to open up these conversations to keep your children safe online.

If you’ve been wondering whether TikTok is safe for kids, we hope the above insights help you to better understand some of the issues to be aware of if you’re children are currently using the platform. Remember, knowledge is power, and communication is the key to everything. 

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