To ask whether your 11 year old is allowed Tik Tok?

[devadreams]

DS (11) keeps asking for Tik Tok and I'm unsure whether to allow it. Lots of his friends have it but I am wary having heard quite a lot of bad press about it. Main concerns are him seeing (and potentially sharing?) inappropriate content and the fact it's a huge time sap.

Is your 11 year old allowed it and if so, what controls/rules do you have in place?

If you don't allow it, why not?

It's all quite new to me and would appreciate views from both sides before making a decision.

@user1493494961

I can't believe that someone would let an 8 year old have an account.

It's the kind of post you want to think is a just a troll, but sadly you know it's more likely to be true

Ive said she must use the following tab and not the for you.

Ive never heard of people committing suicide on there! Sounds like an urban legend.

ComeOnBabyPopMyBubble You’re a parent. Your entire role is to protect your child and you’re actively putting her in harms way on a repeated basis.

Did a quick google (but didn't click on links) and it sounds like it's not an urban legend.

If you google TikTok and the internet guides, the NSPCC/O2 website says there is a medium risk of sex, violence, bullying, and suicide and high risk for drink, drugs and crime.
Other websites recommend it for 16+ only.

You can make the account private, but you are relying on a filter on content. A filter is only as good as those that have designed it. TikTok is notoriously poorly designed. Would you put your kid in a poorly designed car seat with no proper testing? So should you trust a poorly designed internet filter? You can not unsee things. They have already had to face court cases about the data they were holding on young accounts, so they aren’t exactly trustworthy.

No. I can’t imagine that would be helpful in any way.

I have googled more than once and the only things I have ever found are the usual weirdos trying to communicate inappropriately.

Google says there are algorithms and there's a child friendly version for under 13s. We've wasted hours on it and seen nothing of concern. Ever.

Absolute waste of time and big safeguarding concerns.

Google says there are algorithms and there's a child friendly version for under 13s. We've wasted hours on it and seen nothing of concern. Ever.

AbyssusAbyssumInvocat Oh well if google says then sure, carry on putting your child in harms way.

@AbyssusAbyssumInvocat

I have googled more than once and the only things I have ever found are the usual weirdos trying to communicate inappropriately.

Google says there are algorithms and there's a child friendly version for under 13s. We've wasted hours on it and seen nothing of concern. Ever.

I can't even work out why you are trying to present an argument that shows TikTok in a positive light. It's the worst. Just because you haven't seen anything bad on there yet does not mean it isn't there. It's there. The information about how bad this app can be is was lite available. Do your research and protect your child.

DH has said no to TikTok for DS11 for lots of reasons similar to those mentioned above but also because it's essentially owned by the Chinese government. Therefore, when someone signs up for the app and hands over all of their details, including their interests based on video clips they watch, they are handing those details to the Chinese government.

Hell no.

Have you heard of the TikTok Autism challenge? One of the most disgusting things I've ever watched.

My 11 year old does have it but reading this I am thinking it’s a huge parenting fail. She won’t be happy to delete it though! Does anyone have any advice as to how to explain the dangers to children so they understand?

No, even setting the account to private does nothing and I have told my DS that I would prefer his data to be harvested by a multi national rather than the CCP.

TikTok is largely populated by 2 kinds of people after you ignore the youth, pedophiles and middle aged woman still hoping to become an internet celebrity.

It really isn't a platform that should be promoted and really shouldn't be downloaded onto your phone.

Nope. To be fair, she’s not that bothered anymore but from the age of 8 we had a couple of years of “everyone’s got it, why can’t I?” type of talks - it was musical.ly at the time and it was already a nope. She understand now, and if it’s still a thing in 2 years’ time we can talk about it again.

@ke002

DH has said no to TikTok for DS11 for lots of reasons similar to those mentioned above but also because it's essentially owned by the Chinese government. Therefore, when someone signs up for the app and hands over all of their details, including their interests based on video clips they watch, they are handing those details to the Chinese government.

Oh we can't have the Chinese government knowing what 11 year olds are watching and their interests

Goodness me I don't like the app and won't let mine have it but jeez you need to have a word with yourself

My 11 year old doesn’t have it - most of his friends do though - I can safely say if he’s come out with anything inappropriate , and I’ve questioned him , it’s always been that one of his friends has shared or been repeating something they’ve seen on titktok

@Sunnyhopefulness

My 11 year old doesn’t have it - most of his friends do though - I can safely say if he’s come out with anything inappropriate , and I’ve questioned him , it’s always been that one of his friends has shared or been repeating something they’ve seen on titktok

Have you not considered stopping him from viewing the inappropriate content?

Whatever it is that's inappropriate he is coming out with from TikTok, I can guarantee he is seeing worse and not telling you.

OMG ignore me

I read that so badly. Apologies.

@dwiz8 Actually who is harvesting your data and what they are doing with it is serious especially somewhere where we have no control over it. No one is going to be interested on an individual level of an 11 year old watching videos of people dancing, it’s much more useful to a government on a population level but do you know what else it is doing on your phone/tablet? Look at the reverse engineering reports and also the loopholes it has exploited. It is also under an enquiry here for whether it breaches data protection laws. It has been prosecuted successfully in the states. It states in its terms and conditions that it does collect data about your location from your sim and IP address. If you’re happy with that then fine, but data collection is much more than just keeping the video watching history.

[quote Ionacat]@dwiz8 Actually who is harvesting your data and what they are doing with it is serious especially somewhere where we have no control over it. No one is going to be interested on an individual level of an 11 year old watching videos of people dancing, it’s much more useful to a government on a population level but do you know what else it is doing on your phone/tablet? Look at the reverse engineering reports and also the loopholes it has exploited. It is also under an enquiry here for whether it breaches data protection laws. It has been prosecuted successfully in the states. It states in its terms and conditions that it does collect data about your location from your sim and IP address. If you’re happy with that then fine, but data collection is much more than just keeping the video watching history.[/quote]
The Chinese government don't own tiktok

Unless the only news source you have is the daily mail that is.

Many companies harvest your data. Facebook, mumsnet, Amazon, your phone provider etc.

I don't see many people up in arms about their 11 year olds or even themselves using those services.

Y 14 year old is not allowed this.

I'd say no.
Some of the content that pops up on the For You Page is incredibly random and can be quite problematic.

I've seen videos heavily centred around eating disorders, self harm (including a person showing their blades), suicide, abuse, drugs, sex... some of it is really quite dark and mature.
There was a post about a young girl 'finishing her shampoo and conditioner at the same time' which is basically a euphemism for I'm now allowed to top myself.

Unless you sit next to her and supervise what videos she watches, 11 is way too young.

No. For the content, time sink and concerns with the app itself. Based on pretty senior cyber security peoples’ advice.