The TikTok app was launched in 2016 and currently, with over one billion active users, it is considered one of the largest social networks in the world. Like any other social network, TikTok has its pros and cons. Considering that the majority of this social network’s users are teenagers, it’s better for every parent to know what TikTok is and what features it has.
In the following, we will talk in detail about what TikTok is and what kind of content is published on it. We will explain the features, advantages, and disadvantages of this app. In the end, we will provide guidance for proper use of this app, offering parents a solution to supervise their child on TikTok. Stay with us.
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Introducing the TikTok app
TikTok is a social network that primarily focuses on the dissemination of videos and short films with music. Essentially, TikTok is an environment where individuals perform various challenges to different music and publish them for their audience. This app includes a collection of special effects, filters, and tags that help users present the best version of themselves.
The TikTok app only allows you to produce short videos, and you can show your creativity to your audience with videos of up to 15 seconds.
You can create videos about technology, dance, or any other field. The popularity of TikTok videos increases with the presence of music in most clips. In this app, you have access to the latest and most popular videos; therefore, you can get ideas from them. The app presents various challenges for users. These challenges are not created by TikTok, but users create and propagate them.
What are the advantages of TikTok?
Although most parents are not very interested in the TikTok app, TikTok itself has positive features that can be utilized. So what are the positive features of TikTok? Let’s mention a few.
Simplicity of creating and sharing content
The TikTok app has made it easy to create and share videos. All users need to do is record a clip of their daily routines and upload it to the app. In fact, the process of creating a clip on this app does not require much time and effort.
A tool to be seen more
Being seen can have many benefits from a positive perspective. You may have a good talent in areas like art, music, and more. Having many audiences see you through social media creates an environment for your growth. Also, many small businesses can introduce themselves to a larger community with creative ideas.
Many bloggers, artists, and celebrities are active on TikTok and they can help grow your business by advertising it. Your content can be broadcast not only on TikTok but also on any other social media.
Some companies have started their entry into the business scene with a TikTok challenge. Take, for example, the InMyDenim campaign by the brand Guess. On September 1, 2018, this brand entered TikTok and invited all TikTok users in the United States to join their InMyDenim hashtag challenge. In this contest, users were asked to create video content while wearing jeans and using this hashtag. This was the beginning of TikTok’s collaboration with companies and stores in the United States.
A Tool for Content Creation
TikTok is an international application but it also focuses heavily on trending its users in a specific situation. The application often conducts local hashtag competitions and indigenous challenges, giving out awards to the top video creators. The app uses local hashtags to suggest topics for content creation to its users.
TikTok also sends personalized recommendations to each of its users. This keeps TikTok users always aware of trending videos and not oblivious to new ideas. By using these techniques, TikTok has been able to achieve localization on a global scale.
What are the Disadvantages of TikTok?
No social network or application is purely good or purely bad. All active social networks, in addition to the benefits they offer to their users, can also have damaging consequences. TikTok is no exception to this rule. Knowing the harms of TikTok helps us avoid these consequences and damages.
Worrying Content
TikTok’s rules and regulations are more lenient than other social networks, and users are given more content freedom. Some of the songs and videos available on TikTok contain inappropriate content that is unsuitable for younger audiences to see or hear.
Sexually provocative content, norm-breaking content, challenges, and anti-social and immoral dialogues like racism are frequently seen in this application, and there is little to no supervision or control over them.
Wasting Time and Energy
Due to its entertaining nature, teenagers often spend a lot of time watching TikTok videos. The time users spend to capture a high-quality video also wastes a significant portion of their valuable time.
Misuse on TikTok
TikTok allows users to link their accounts to other social network profiles like Instagram or YouTube. This exposes individuals’ virtual communications, especially children and teenagers, to a great extent. Contact with unknown individuals can enable opportunistic individuals to create an environment to threaten and harass inexperienced individuals.
A large percentage of TikTok users are under 17. Most individuals at this age lack the ability to discern right from wrong in certain matters. Emotional behaviors such as favoring and idolizing certain individuals can sometimes lead to in-app purchases on TikTok, making dollar donations to others.
Psychological Effects of TikTok
The TikTok application creates an environment where a child or teenager compares himself to others and even seeks approval from others. At this age, children come to the conclusion that by doing cute things they can attract the attention of others and induce them to compliment them.
Children and teenagers on the cusp of puberty pay a lot of attention to their bodies. Their mental preoccupation with the body causes the child to spend a lot of time on issues related to their appearance and clothing, and of course, they also ask more about others’ opinions about their appearance. On the other hand, this age group is extremely vulnerable to the comments and requests of followers in this space. Opinions that depict them as ugly, beautiful, fat, or thin can affect their perception of themselves for years and create numerous problems.
Dangerous Challenges
While most challenges are not dangerous, there are some that become popular on TikTok which are not standard and can harm people. For example, the Ice Bucket Challenge or the Planking Challenge. The Planking Challenge has led many people to place themselves in dangerous situations, such as on top of skyscrapers or train rails, and take a picture for the challenge.
Another challenge encouraged students to steal and vandalize school property, resulting in several arrests and schools burdened with the costs of repairing damaged property.
Tips for Safe TikTok Use
The TikTok application is very popular among teenagers and your child may also be interested in joining this social network. Naturally, banning your child from using it seems like the easiest solution for parents, but sometimes these prohibitions lead to your child or teenager exploring the app out of curiosity and in secret. Therefore, being able to control your teenager’s behavior on the internet in a friendly environment would be more beneficial.
You can monitor your child’s activity on this social network by using a series of solutions.
Teach Proper Internet Use
Try to be friends with your child before anything else and give them a sense of understanding and attention. Discuss with them in detail the advantages and disadvantages of TikTok. Ask them to manage their activity time on the app and transfer any trouble or problem to you so you can help them with challenges.
Ask your child to make their account private. Manage their comments. Don’t let them post duo videos. If they receive an inappropriate or threatening message in the direct, inform you, and block and report bothersome people.
Limit Time Spent on TikTok
Social networks are generally attractive spaces and many people become highly addicted to these apps. So much so, that some people spend a lot of their time in this space and fall behind in their plans. This can lead to academic decline, insomnia, bad behavior, etc., in children and teenagers.
One of the best solutions to control your child in the TikTok and internet space is to use software that limits the time spent on different apps. With these apps, your child can spend a limited time on TikTok daily, and this prevents addiction to this social network.
Block App Access to the Internet
Internet disconnection software is a suitable tool for controlling ourselves and our children on the internet. These apps disconnect the software’s access to the internet and in this state, you lose the ability to connect to the internet in a specific app. This tool is especially useful for those who are highly addicted to the internet.
If your child’s exam time is near, or they are preparing for a test, you can ask them to use these apps to control their time.
Monitoring TikTok with Child Monitoring Software
Sometimes talking and advising your child isn’t enough and you feel the need for more supervision. Especially in situations when you know that your child is not being honest with you. In these circumstances, parents can use monitoring apps to solve the problem. These tools are particularly useful for working parents who spend most of their time at work.
SPY24 Parental Control Software is a professional parental control App that offers comprehensive monitoring features. This app helps control TikTok on Android and iOS devices. In addition, you can also monitor other apps installed on your child’s phone including Telegram, WhatsApp, Instagram, calls, messages, and contacts. TikTok Spy App – How to Spy TikTok?
By using this software, which also has a free version available, you can quickly view all incoming messages on your child’s social networks and, if you sense danger, prevent it from happening before it occurs.
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