The world our teens are growing up in is very different from the world we did. With social media so very much a part of our lives, there is so much more to be wary of, and deciding where to draw the line with social media usage as a parent seems like an impossible task.
One of the biggest worries parents have with social media is their child being on TikTok. There is so much controversy around TikTok, so is TikTok safe for your teens?
The answer to this will depend on how you decide to parent, but to help you make your decision, here is what to consider when allowing your teen to use TikTok.
What Is TikTok?
Most of us know that TikTok is a social media app, but that’s pretty much where our knowledge ends. TikTok is a social media network that is used to share user-generated videos. What this means is that your teen creates videos on the site and then shares them with friends and others.
On the app, you can interact with other users and watch other people’s videos. There are also challenges that you can take part in on the site.
Is TikTok Safe For Teens?
TikTok is a social media network, and this comes with many different risks. However, there are ways to lessen these risks if you are involved with the usage and what your child is allowed to see and access.
When using TikTok, your child can sign up using their age, and if their age is between 13 and 15, their account will default to private. This means that only friends can comment on their videos.
Once your child is over the age of 16, they can live stream and direct message others. The ability to buy send and receive virtual gifts is only allowed after 18.
If this still concerns you, you could enable Restricted Mode, or Family Safety Mode, which offers up more control on what your child can and can’t have access to.
Is TikTok Appropriate For Teens?
TikTok has a lot of emphasis on popular music, much of which contains sexual references and profanities. These songs are the basis of many challenge videos that your teen might want to take part in.
There are also many videos on TikTok of people wearing suggestive clothing and dancing sexually. The positive is that TikTok doesn’t allow searches for pornography on the site, but that does not mean inappropriate videos don’t pop-up.
With some effort and restrictions, and open communication with your kids, TikTok can be a safe site to use.
Can You Make A TikTok Account Private?
You are able to make your TikTok account private, and this is a great way to prevent your teen from having contact with others, and from them seeing inappropriate content.
By making the account private, only friends will be able to see the content posted on the profile. It is best to keep a TikTok account for teens private.
Is TikTok Safe?
Whether or not you feel comfortable allowing your teen to use TikTok is up to you. There are ways to keep their account private and protected from inappropriate content, but it is a social media network and there are always dangers involved.
