The most downloaded app of 2021, TikTok, has been gaining popularity amongst people under 25 for a long time. It´s entertaining, and it gives people an opportunity to express their creativity, as well as to share with friends and strangers their thoughts, news and skills. But under that shiny outer shell, a few risks are brewing.
TikTok came to the scene in 2016 and was basically booming during the pandemic. And rightfully so – kids were stuck at home with virtually no way to connect to their friends other than social media. TikTok challenges, dances and lip-synch battles were all things that kept on growing on the app, as well as the app´s popularity.
You may have noticed that there has been some fuss around TikTok lately. It started with state workers being banned from using the app and is finding its way into family life. The uncertainty about the app´s security, safety and privacy for children is one of the reasons TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is to address the question of protecting children on the app before the U.S. Congress on March 23.
The concerns include the app’s algorithm favoring certain types of content and then feeding them to children. These might include sexually suggestive content, videos depicting eating disorders and other harmful types of content. The issue is present on pretty much all social media platforms; however, no other platform comes close to the popularity of TikTok among youngsters.
Apart from that, TikTok has been facing allegations of massive data harvesting. In essence, this means that the app demands more permissions than it really needs as an entertainment app.
Earlier this month, TikTok announced new features to help parents feel more secure about the app. The first one is a tool that would allow parents to prevent their children from viewing certain types of content, based on certain words or hashtags used.
Another feature aims to limit the amount of time users spend on the app, plus it would automatically block users under the age of 18 from using the app for longer than an hour a day.
TikTok is also trying to protect young children by setting their accounts to “private” by default, in contrast to users over the age of 15, whose profiles are all “public.” Also, content created by children under the age of 16 is restricted from being downloaded unless manually changed in the settings. Mind you, the official minimum age of TikTok users is 13, but there is no age verification mechanism in place.
One of the features TikTok offers is “Family Pairing,” which allows you to link your child´s profile to yours, meaning you can control direct messages, set screen time limits and turn on/off restricted content directly. You will also receive a notification if any of the settings are changed or turned off on your child´s phone.
It is a useful tool that the app offers for parents to be able to have some control over the content their children consume as well as the people they might interact with online. The feature is TikTok´s version of parental control.
1. Explain differences between sharing and oversharing. Explain that it is good to be able to share your thoughts, ideas and memories online. But certain things like where you go to school or your home address should stay private.
2. Get familiar with the guidelines. Understanding what the app allows and does with your children´s data prepares you better for what might await them.
3. Set their account to private. Even though some accounts are automatically set to private, make sure your child´s account stays that way.
4. Talk to your children. Regularly talk to them about the wonders and dangers of the app and make sure you have an open and trustworthy relationship with them, so they feel safe to talk to you about anything.
5. Know when to report. As with other social media platforms, there is the option to report and block certain users and types of content. This might put your mind at ease as well as create a healthier online environment for your child.
TikTok can be a very positive place for a child. It can support your child´s creativity and help build up their social network. It is a great tool for them to express themselves as well as communicate with their friends. Making sure you consider the positives before banning something creates more trust and allows your children to enjoy the progress of technology safely. Be the voice to guide them through the jungle of the digital world and create a safer space for them online.
With ESET Parental Control for Android
TRY FREE FOR 30 DAYSIt was 2015 when she first came across the Twitch streaming platform. Katerina Tuzarova aka OdetteD (29) had been playing computer games since childhood, and her hobby later turned into a part-time job that would provide her with extra income during her university studies. She became one of the top 10 female players of Age of Empires 2, a popular real-time strategy game. Here’s more about her experience.
Whenever you happen to be reading this sentence, there are at that moment perhaps millions of live viewers on Twitch, watching one of the tens of thousands live channels. Do your kids spend time on the world’s most popular content streaming platform? Here’s a list of things you should know about the service, prepared in cooperation with Katerina Tuzarova, aka OdetteD, a former Twitch streamer.
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