Exploring the Impact: Is TikTok Bad for Kids and the Potential US Ban?

May 16, 2024

In today's digital age, many parents and caregivers worldwide are concerned about whether TikTok is harmful to kids. As one of the most popular social media platforms, TikTok has become a significant part of many children's lives, offering a creative outlet and a means of connection. However, the impact of TikTok on children's mental health, safety, and privacy rights has sparked a contentious debate about a potential ban in the USA, with discussions around 'us banning TikTok' gaining traction.

Current Controversies Surrounding TikTok in the USA

National Security Issues

The controversy surrounding TikTok revolves around national security risks. Lawmakers and intelligence officials are concerned that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over data on American users or manipulate content to serve Chinese interests. Despite TikTok's claims of data privacy and independence from Chinese government influence, there's still fear that the app could be used for spreading misinformation, interfering in elections, and collecting data on Americans. These concerns are worsened by the potential for TikTok updates to introduce malicious software, highlighting the real risks of installing and updating the app.

Parental Concerns

TikTok has a worrying influence on children and teenagers from a parental perspective. The app's addictive nature and exposure to inappropriate content raise significant safety and mental health concerns. Reports indicate that children using TikTok are at a higher risk of encountering cyberbullying, as well as content related to self-harm, suicide, and body image issues. Additionally, the differences in content rules between China and the U.S. raise concerns about TikTok potentially exploiting its algorithm for addictive purposes, further endangering children's well-being and youth mental health.

Negative Effects of TikTok on Children

Mental Health Impacts

Depression and Anxiety: TikTok's algorithm may show too much mental health-related content, which could make feelings of depression and anxiety worse, especially for vulnerable children. This raises the question: how does TikTok affect mental health in kids?
Addictive Nature: The platform is designed to be very engaging and addictive, which can lead to excessive use. This may have negative effects on mental health, sleep, and academic performance. It's important to understand how TikTok affects mental health to mitigate these issues.
Body Image Issues: Seeing a lot of perfect bodies and lifestyles can make you expect too much and dislike your own body. This can lead to eating problems and low self-esteem. TikTok causing mental health issues like eating disorders is a growing concern among teens.

Exposure to Inappropriate Content

Explicit Material: Children on TikTok may encounter sexual content, violent images, and explicit language, which may not be suitable for their age, despite the platform's guidelines. This exposure can significantly impact children's mental health.
Dangerous Challenges: The platform has many challenges that encourage risky behaviors, leading to physical injuries and health problems. Kids and teens are particularly vulnerable to these dangerous trends on TikTok.
Misinformation: Children are also at risk of being exposed to misinformationTikTok's algorithms can lead to harmful beliefs or behaviors, including those related to health and safety. This is particularly concerning for kids and teens who are easily influenced.

Past Social Bully about Charles & Keith Controversies (Source: TikTok of @zohtaco)

Past Social Bullying about Charles & Keith Controversies

Source: TikTok of Zoe Gabriel

Cyberbullying and Predation

Widespread Cyberbullying: TikTok allows people to interact anonymously, which can lead to cyberbullying. This means that users can make fun of others, spread rumors, and post harmful comments, all of which can significantly affect a child's mental health. The issue of TikTok cyberbullying is a serious concern for parents and caregivers.
Predatory Behavior: Predators have misused the platform to target children. They exploit TikTok's messaging features to make contact, which can lead to unsafe offline interactions.
Data Privacy Concerns: There are big worries about the privacy of user data on TikTok. Personal information could be seen by people who shouldn't see it, like predators and other third parties.

Creative Outlet

A kid is shooting a video with her own phone

Assess Immediate Safety

TikTok serves as a vibrant creative outlet for children, enabling them to express themselves in unique and imaginative ways. Whether it's through lighthearted, cute videos or more intricate projects involving editing and lip-syncing, kids find joy and a sense of accomplishment in content creation. Through TikTok, children can discover and refine their interests in the arts, contributing to their overall creative development and entertainment.

Educational Content

Hashtags like #LearnOnTikTok have gained billions of views, bringing together thousands of accounts dedicated to teaching and learning. This content includes short lessons by teachers and zoologists, as well as insights from people in unique careers. It makes learning fun and accessible for kids. Additionally, TikTok's microlearning style fits into the trend of bite-sized learning, making it easier for children to absorb and retain information.

Sense of Community

TikTok brings people together and creates a sense of community. Users share fun videos and connect over common interests. Especially during tough times, TikTok has become a way to stay in touch with friends and family and take a break. It also helps students support each other and feel like they belong. This sense of community on TikTok gives kids and teens a space where they feel understood and supported, which is good for their social skills and mental health.

Parental Strategies for Safe Social Media Use

Parents are supervising their child playing tablet

Setting Boundaries

It's important to set clear rules for kids' social media use to keep them safe online. This means limiting their time on TikTok to avoid negative effects on their mental health and school work. For younger kids, it's especially important to have times when screens are off and to encourage family time and good sleep habits. Also, talk to them about privacy and being careful with people they don't know online to help protect them from potential risks.

Monitoring and Supervision

Parents have many ways to keep an eye on their children's social media use. For example, TikTok's Family Pairing feature allows parents to control account settings, like who can send direct messages and what content can be seen. Similarly, parental controls on Apple and Android devices can limit app use and content based on age. Doing digital activities together, such as watching or playing, not only brings families closer but also lets parents guide and supervise their children.

Digital Literacy Education

It's important to teach kids about digital literacy for a safe and positive online experience. TikTok shares digital literacy tips through videos, quizzes, and scenario-based learning, focusing on critical thinking for evaluating online content. TikTok partners with the National Association for Media Literacy Education to improve media literacy, helping users tell the difference between real and false information. Talking about digital habits and their reasons can also encourage responsible use of technology.

The debate about whether TikTok is bad for kids and the possibility of a U.S. ban raise concerns about the role of social media in our lives. It's important to promote healthy online habits, talk openly about staying safe on the internet, and push for strong safety rules on these platforms. Our goal should be to make the most of TikTok's good points while protecting against its dangers, to ensure a safer and better online experience for our children.

Source

Setting Healthy Boundaries for Social Media & Cell Phone Use in Kids

Is TikTok Safe for Kids

Restricting TikTok (Part II): Legislative Proposals and Considerations for Congress
Is TikTok a National Security Risk?
TikTok and National Security