Parental Advisory: Is Your Child Safe on the TikTok App?
WESTPORT, Conn. (PRWEB) May 17, 2019 -- What is TikTok?
Previously known as Musical.ly, TikTok is now the fastest growing social media platform for teens and tweens and is in the top 4 apps in both Apple iOS and Google Play stores. Their unique video making tools and special effects are often used by tweens and teens who use it as their preferred social media platform. Followers can post videos, rate each other, comment on posted videos and chat through the private messaging component. Though the app’s minimum age requirement says 13, parents know younger kids often ignore this recommendation and join the network.
Is TikTok Dangerous? We here at WebWatcher believe the answer is yes.
1. Accounts are Public- By default, all TikTok user accounts are public when they sign up. This means any videos they post can be seen by all TikTok users at any time. Users need to proactively make their accounts private in order to approve followers.
2. Predators- Parents and authorities warn that TikTok is a network where predators lurk, view young users’ videos and connect with them through private messages. Recently, a father reported that his 7-year old daughter was using the app on his phone to post a fun lip dubbing video. She unknowingly engaged with a predator who followed her video and contacted her through the messaging app and asked her to send nude photos of herself. Many cases like this have been noted, and according to a new TechCrunch article that an FTC ruling sees TikTok fined $5.7M for violating children's privacy laws. Because young kids often don’t have the life experience to spot danger in the digital world, parents need to be aware of their engagement with apps like TikTok.
3. Exposure to Inappropriate Content- TikTok videos are not governed and can often have mature or objectionable content. Parents need to stay aware of both their kids’ posted content and followers as well as TikTok users they follow to ensure they are not exposed to videos which contain indecent material.
4. Strangers in Numbers- TikTok encourages users to build their network quickly and rewards them for doing so. Once a user reaches 1,000 followers they earn the privilege of posting “Live Feeds”. Kids compete to get followers quickly and can often approve unknown followers and also post outrageous things just to boost their numbers. Live feeds also put kids at risk of posting videos before they have the chance to decide if the video should be posted.
How Can Parents Help Keep Kids Safe?
Parents can ensure their kids’ safety while using this app by monitoring their online activity. In response to the rising safety concerns surrounding TikTok, WebWatcher recently added a feature to track this app for Android users. Parents can see videos posted, viewed as well as their child’s private messaging through the app. WebWatcher strives to stay ahead of the curve by keeping parents informed and creating the technology to help parents track the apps and programs kids use most in today’s digital world.
To find out more about how parental monitoring software can help protect children, go to http://www.webwatcher.com.
ABOUT WEBWATCHER:
WebWatcher lets parents more closely monitor their tweens’ and teens’ device use including iPhone/iPad, Android, PC, Mac and Chromebook. All products are discreet and thus tamper proof, and all recorded data is sent to a secure web-based account which allows parents to monitor remotely from any device. WebWatcher allows parents to view messages (texts, Facebook and other social media), call history, photos, website history, GPS and more, all from the palm of your hand! http://www.webwatcher.com
Jillian Kennedy, WebWatcher, https://www.webwatcher.com/, 2032957614, [email protected]
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