TikTok app is currently trending in the market for its create-your-own-music video feature. You can download it from Google Play store for free and it is now one of the most installed apps worldwide.
The app is mostly popular among Indian, Asian and USA teens including young adults to create short lip-sync videos and upload them online on social platforms. However, the app is no longer suitable and safe for today’s teens and adults. There are certain privacy concerns associated with TikTok. You may record a song or dance video via TikTok which may become visible to your predators without your knowledge. Well, this is just one of the many such instances.
Other added concern related to TokTok includes data collection on kids who check in the app without parental permission. Through this, you can easily come to know about the contents your children search on TikTok.
Recently, a TikTok clip has gone viral in the social media regarding an actress named Reese Witherspoon with her son. So, if your kids are on TikTok, then you must be aware of the videos they are posting. What matters even more is with whom your kids are connected with on TikTok.
Controversies
Some past unpleasant experiences of TikTok on social media has led to certain breaches and controversies regarding the usage of this app. Let’s check out those reasons that imposed legal ban on TikTok in several states & military premises:
Recently, TikTok was so much on news due to certain setbacks that went viral online across the globe. Among those gross incidents, first is the case of Mohammad Salman, a 19 year old teenager of Delhi, who was accidentally shot by Suhail Malik, Salman’s friend while creating their TikTok video.
Another similar incident that aroused anger in the social media in February for uploading such clips. In that music video, three Tamil Nadu students were riding a scooter when they met with a bus accident.
Added to that, a man from Punjab was trying to create a video on the railway platform while attempting to get on a moving engine. However, unfortunately it didn’t work out as per his plan. He slipped and rammed under the tractor tier after getting stuck to that tractor’s cultivator machine.
That’s not the end. Another terrific incident took place in Chennai. Here, a person was trying to do the trick of slitting his own throat, but ended his life with a mistaken real cut on his throat while making the video. Though he tried to cease the bleeding, he failed to survive.
All these reasons compelled both Apple and Google to eliminate the TikTok app from their collection.
Possible Pitfalls
Though TikTok has now become a trending app of self entertainment in the social media, there are several reports associated with TikTok pitfalls.
For instance, there are third-party predators whose sole concern is to collect data on minors (teenagers) without parental permission. So, the parents must have to be acknowledged about the harmful possibilities of TikTok on their kids before allowing them to access it.
BBC recently shared an article showing how some third-hand hackers are causing the real trouble on the app for children (particularly):
- As per the investigation led by BBC on TikTok, the app failed to identify and block the users’ accounts who are sending unhealthy messages to kids and teenagers.
- Over hundreds of such ill-health comments have been found on the video clips posted by kids aging as less as nine.
- As per CBS 7, predators are misusing the TikTok app to tempt children and fulfill their ill-purpose:
Basically, the app is created for fun and entertainment. However, sadly, some people are making an inappropriate usage of this application by targeting and luring teenagers and kids. The app investigation found that a greater number of adult users on TikTok beseeching children to send nude images against their will.
- Students are unaware of the viewers of their video posts, as per the investigation report of ABC 27:
- TikTok is a free downloadable app available both on Apple and Google Play stores in the USA. Due to its worldwide popularity, it is quite normal for predators to take its disadvantage. There are certain account options on TilTok that let you go live and comment on others’ videos. Perhaps, this is the thing they use while commenting on teenagers’ videos.
- As discussed above, keep an eye on your kid’s TikTok connections. People from the connection list can easily send private texts through which your child can exchange the necessary communication details. Also, that is the first step into your kid’s privacy, which may later cause some unpleasant consequences.
The same is advised if you are also on TikTok.
How to Keep Yourself Safe on TikTok?
Firstly, congrats that you want to keep yourself safe from TikTok addiction!
Well, retrieving yourself from any type of addiction is always hard and challenging. You might have to develop strong control on your mind and yourself.
When you have to compete with someone who has better potential than yours, then won’t it be hard for you to overcome the challenge? Yes, that’s quite challenging!!
Your mind has an unbound potential and intelligence that you could have ever imagined. It is only you and your will-power that can help win over your mind, which is the real game here.
Now, let’s explore the challenges to overcome TikTok:
- Taking shorter music videos regularly and sharing them with your friends and connections on TikTok.
- Making bold and tempting video clips of yourself to get greater attention on TikTok from viewers who are not yet in your connection.
These two things commonly happen and could be quite challenging for you to overcome!
Remedy:
- Try not to use the app on a regular basis. Sign-in occasionally from your phone only.
- Find out an alternative to TikTok to distract your attention from the latter.
- Everyday make some time to observe nature (the trees, rivers, birds, etc.) without taking any gadget with you.
- Do Yoga daily. It gives the ultimate peace of mind and revives the restlessness of your body.
- Prefer outdoor games for a few hours regularly.
- For extreme cases, consult a counsellor to discuss your issues, and reasons behind not being able to get over your addiction for TikTok.
Hope that helps.
