Whether you have a teenager or are concerned about the effects of addiction, the dangers of TikTok are well documented. Teens are among the most frequent users, as are those who are prey to predators. Other problems caused by excessive screen time are sleep deprivation, teen predation, and addiction. Let’s explore each one in detail. You will probably discover something new, too.
Teens
With over a third of daily users under 14, is TikTok actually harmful for teens? It depends. Here are some ways this social media platform is harming our young people. But, first, let’s understand how it works. Essentially, TikTok allows anyone to post videos, with some restrictions. In addition to being addictive, it can also be harmful. Here are some of the most common problems teens can face when using TikTok.
One of the most serious problems with social media is negativity. More people use it, the more likely they will see negative comments. Some top YouTube creators have publicly expressed concern about this. In addition to lowering self-esteem, these comments can cause problems with body image and self-harm. While there are many ways teens can cope with the effects of TikTok, there are also a number of things parents can do to protect their children.
Predators
A study published in Financial Times found that 96 percent of inappropriate TikTok videos were removed before they were seen by anybody. The majority of these videos featured minors smoking and drinking alcohol. Moreover, a pattern of private accounts was found that showed the same patterns as those of victims and predators. The passwords of private accounts were shared between the users. Users’ usernames and videos featured key code words. Illegal content was uploaded using the ‘Only Me’ function, which only shows videos to the users.
Some parents have become so alarmed by the increasing number of videos featuring young girls that they are pushing one another to delete them. As a result, concerns about pedophilia on TikTok have increased. In one incident, a mother named Jacquelyn Eleanor noticed that videos of her daughter were being saved tens of thousands of times. She was also troubled by strange comments left by anonymous users. In addition, her daughter was shown in an outfit that hid her body and eating a hot dog, which led to a 350,000 save. Some mothers have also been accused of deliberately exposing Wren to internet predators for sponsorship deals. The group has shared videos using hashtags like #savewren and ‘protectthechildren’.
Sleep disruption
In a study, people who spent time using social media while they were sleeping fared the best. While the rest of us spent 18% of our time in the REM phase, it took these people almost an hour and a half to get to sleep. While this may not seem like a big deal, TikTok is particularly disruptive. It triggers the release of adrenaline, dopamine, and happiness that interfere with our circadian rhythm. Also, the blue light from these apps interferes with the release of melatonin, a sleep hormone that regulates our mood.
The researchers noted that the majority of teens who use the social media application spend 14 per cent of their sleep cycle in the REM stage, which is the part of sleep that allows us to learn and remember new things. However, the social media app also prevents teens from recalling memes while they are awake. While teens on TikTok spend 14 per cent of their sleep in REM, those who use Instagram and Snapchat spend 15 per cent of their sleep in this stage. Furthermore, these teens spend an average of 58 minutes in REM sleep each night.
Cyberbullying
It is no secret that social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are notorious for promoting cyberbullying. In fact, one of the most popular social media sites has even created a special feature to fight cyberbullying. The duet feature, which allows users to respond to another user’s video, is also notorious for its potential for harassment. Several creators have reported a rash of violent “hate duets” and sexual harassment. However, reporting such incidents can be difficult due to the narrow definition of cyberbullying on the social media site. Fortunately, creators can opt out of this feature if they wish, but this may limit the amount of positive interactions they get from other users. And video creators need positive interactions to increase their video’s popularity.
While it is impossible to prevent cyberbullying completely, it can be prevented with careful monitoring of the content shared on the site. While the social media site TikTok has taken the issue seriously, they can never completely prevent it. As a result, students should be aware of the signs of cyberbullying, and take action accordingly. TikTok’s Safety Center has several options for parents to limit the content they share and report harmful users. It is important for parents to educate their teens about the dangers of cyberbullying so that they can protect their children.