Tik What?

Tik Tok is a TikTok is a free social media app that lets you watch, create, and share videos — often to a soundtrack of the top hits in music — right from your phone.  Tik Tok is an interactive world of videos that lets you connect with friends and admirers through likes, comments, and even sing duets together.

Where is is going wrong for our children at TMS?

• Firstly, TikTok is recommend for children over 13 for well thought out reasons. None of our children are over 13.
• Children have been filming themselves provocatively dancing and commented on by strangers and connected directed by strangers.
• Children have been exposed to racial and offensive language and explicit lyrics.
• Children are generally not interested in just sharing with people they know, and are changing settings for public view.

Children’s brains are not developed enough at the age which they are with us to develop with this level of content. However mature you feel they are, their brains are not ready emotionally to open with the content of what can be seen and heard. 

Where might my child be accessing this?

Tik Tok is available online via a browser and through mobile devices.

Is it secure?

Like all social media apps, they are recommended for children over 13 years old.  Using any social network can be risky, but it’s possible for children to safely use the app with adult supervision (and a private account). When you sign up for TikTok, your account is public by default, meaning anyone can see your videos, send you direct messages, and use your location information. Parents should make sure to turn on all privacy settings for accounts children are using, so only people you know can interact with your videos or message you on the app. That means either opting for a private account or changing the settings for comments, duets, reactions, and messages to “Friends” instead of “Everyone.” You can also turn those features off completely.

Is it appropriate for children?

Because of TikTok’s emphasis on popular music, many videos include swearing and sexual lyrics, so it may not be age-appropriate for children to use on their own. It’s also easy to find people wearing revealing clothing and dancing suggestively, although TikTok won’t let you search for objectionable content such as “sex” or “porn.” If you supervise your children and stick to songs you already know from the radio, TikTok can be a child-friendly experience. Users can also earn TikTok Reward points by inviting friends to download the app, and then they can redeem those points for coupons from brands like Sephora and Uber. It’s also possible to spend real money by adding virtual coins to your Wallet.  As always, we recommend that if parents choose to allow children access to these services, supervision and discussion of online experiences is essential.

Made with content from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/parents-ultimate-guide-to-tiktok#How%20safe%20is%20TikTok?