Six dangers you need to be aware of if your children are using TikTok - and what you can do to keep them safe

• TikTok is a social media giant with more than 1.6 billion users - a great deal of them being children or young people
• The app has a number of safety features in place already to protect young users
• But kids may still be able to find explicit content, and it can provide a platform for cyberbullying or fuel screen addiction
• From safety tools to talking points, there is plenty you can do to keep them safe on TikTok

TikTok is a global phenomenon - a hugely popular short-form video platform where people can share, create and watch videos.

It’s also the favoured social media app for the younger generation, doubling as a creative outlet, search engine and news source all in one. But with a colossal userbase of more than 1.6 billion, its younger users can sometimes be exposed to content they shouldn’t be, or may face other risks.

Safeguarding experts from High Speed Training - an online training platform that offers courses for educators - have shared with us some of the dangers children and younger teens may face when left to scroll TikTok unattended.

“Both Gen Z and Gen Alpha are viewed as ‘digital natives’ as, unlike previous generations, they have never known a world without the internet,” learning and development head, Dr Richard Anderson, said. “As such, the internet and by extension social media has greatly influenced their upbringing and their reliance on technology and mobile devices.”

He said that the vast reach of TikTok and the wide variety of content that it provides, can make it difficult for parents and guardians to keep an eye on what their children are doing there. “This leads to understandable concerns about online safety and appropriateness of the platform.”

But this didn’t mean there was nothing that parents could do to keep their children safe on the app, he continued. Here are some of these key risks young users face, and some of High Speed Training’s recommended ways of mitigating them:

Six of the potential risks children face on TikTok

1. Exposure to explicit content

While TikTok doesn’t allow users to search for content using certain hashtags, there is still plenty of explicit content on the app - and it is not particularly difficult to find.

To help keep an eye on this, you can set up family pairing on the app. This enables parents and guardians to link their own TikTok accounts to their child’s account and manage certain settings, including content filters. You can then have a little more control over what your child sees, and who they engage with.

2. Screen addiction

Social media is designed to capture and hold attention, and each view, like and share triggers a dopamine release which keeps you in a cycle of viewing, liking and sharing. A recent Parliamentary report also found that one in four children with a smartphone used it in a way that was consistent with behavioural addiction.

To counter this, High Speed Training suggests actively encouraging a variety of off-screen hobbies, to ensure that your child doesn’t spend all their free time on the app. Allow them to explore new things and find hobbies outside of TikTok - even if that’s where they first discovered it.

Enabling family pairing can also allow you to set screen time limits - particularly useful if your child is struggling to manage their screen time.

3. Unwanted communications

TikTok profiles are automatically set to private for young people under 18, and messaging is limited for under 16s. However, it is possible for a young person to create an alternate or secret account, setting whatever age they wish, and making it public.

This means that anyone can see their videos, access their location information or send them direct messages. It also makes young people vulnerable, as strangers can follow and interact with them under the guise of being someone else - or having innocent intentions.

Try to make sure that your child is using an appropriate, private account for children. One thing that can help is talking with your child about the dangers of TikTok. If they don’t know why you’re making a rule, they’re less likely to follow it, after all.

High Speed Training says the goal here isn’t to scare your child into obedience, but to have an honest and open conversation about the potential risks.

4. Cyberbullying

As with all social media platforms, there is the risk of your child being subjected to cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is online bullying or harassment that uses technology, which can not only afford the bully a level of anonymity - but can enable them to have access to their victim pretty much 24/7.

Bullying of any kind can have a catastrophic effect on a child’s mental health. But many other children will also end up being bystanders or even perpetrators of cyberbullying. In an informational guide for parents and carers, the Department for Education writes that parents can help nip this in the bud by being involved and talking to their children - making sure they feel comfortable sharing things that have happened online and how it made them feel.

5. Self-esteem

Social media can often present a picture perfect, unrealistic version of people’s lives. This can leave users - especially younger, more impressionable ones - comparing themselves to an unrealistic and unattainable ideal.

This in turn can lead to a negative self-image and low self-esteem.This was also noted in the Parliamentary report, which said images posted online could have a negative impact on young people’s self-perception. Girls and young women felt particularly pressured to conform with the images of bodies they see on social media, it continued, but body dissatisfaction and eating disorders were rapidly rising in boys and young men too.

Again, making sure that you have regular, open talks with your child about social media and what they’re seeing there can help them to explore these feelings, in a safe and supportive environment. If you notice signs of your child having poor self-esteem or a negative self-image, ask them where it is coming from - in a judgement-free way.

A personalised morning news round-up with NationalWorld Today - sign up here.

6. Dangerous challenges

A notable part of TikTok’s popularity has been different online challenges. While many of these challenges are fun and light-hearted, others can be harmful and incredibly dangerous - and there have even been reported incidents of young people losing their lives.

Keeping an eye on what your child is looking at and doing on social media can help parents here. High Speed Training’s experts say that different generations have very different views on TikTok, and it is easy for parents to dismiss it as a trivial waste of time. However, if your child is eager to show you the content they have created or the creators that they are engaging with, it’s important to show an interest.

On top of that, you should check in on their profile every now and then. This could be to see what content they are posting and show your support, but also to double check that what they are seeing or posting is safe and appropriate.

Do you let your children use TikTok? And if so, what do you do to keep them safe on the app? Let us and other parents know by leaving a comment below.