TikTok can be dangerous for kids because of inappropriate content, cyberbullying, privacy violations, and potential predators.
Since kids often use the app for entertainment or connecting with mates and other contacts. They know they spend too much time on TikTok; it is bad for their Internet safety. It distracts from other activities, especially physical ones, which negatively affects their mental and physical health. More kids now game online or use social media on the weekends than play sports or engage in physical activity.
Parents should ensure that their children's privacy profile on TikTok is set up to keep their personal information safe. Including;
All #Topics covered for Kids, Tweens & Teens
Parents should check their kids' privacy settings regularly to ensure they remain as agreed. Many parents feel this is interference. It is not. It is every parent's right to check social media privacy profiles. It is not an infringement of privacy.
Talk to your kids about the importance of online safety and encourage them to be aware of their interactions and activity on the app.
We should set kids firm rules and guidelines when using TikTok;
Parents should encourage their kids to use the app responsibly and respectfully.
1. Know what your child is watching: Take the time to watch the videos your child is watching and discuss them with them. This will help you understand what kind of content they watch, and what content they find most appealing.
Make sure they sit near with no headphones and volume to a level you can hear.
Set Limits: Set limits on how much time your child can spend on TikTok each day when they can use it and for how long.
Monitor their account: Find out who your child is following and what videos they post or like. It’s important to remember that anyone can view their posts, so set privacy settings up properly. A 20-second YouTube or TikTok video will show you how to do this. Search 'Set kids TikTok privacy profile safely'.
4. Talk about safety: Make sure your child understands the importance of not sharing personal information or responding to messages from strangers online.
5. Discuss inappropriate content: Make sure that your child knows to report any inappropriate content or language they see on TikTok and remind them not to share it with
TikTok has a version for children called "TikTok for Younger Users". TikTok designed this version for children under the age-of-13 and it includes additional safety features to protect young users.
The content on TikTok for Younger Users is curated and filtered to ensure that it is age-appropriate. TikTok prohibits certain types of content, such as nudity, sexual content, violent content, and hate speech.
Parents can set up parental controls to limit screen time, restrict or block certain content, and control who can contact their child on the platform.
It's important to note that even with these safety measures in place, keep monitoring kids' use of TikTok and educate them about online safety.
The minimum age requirement to use TikTok is 13.
TikTok has faced criticism for not protecting younger users from inappropriate content and interactions with strangers. Parents need to know the potential risks of their children using TikTok.
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