Tik Tok in primary schools

[bombaychef]

My DD age 10 has very very restricted access to Tik Tok which I have only allowed as most of the girls she's friendly with in her class have it. I have full access and check everything she posts. She only has 10 followers / friends on there.
Some of the girls however (and boys for that matter) have un secured accounts and 300/400 followers: not her immediate friends but children she knows and can see the accounts off. Parents must not be checking as surely this makes them very vulnerable?
There's a lot of really bad language and references to guns / sex / violence / b*tches etc. Some of the kids are only 8 or 9 and the oldest I've been looking at are in Year 6.
Anyone else encountered similar? I'm torn about speaking to school about it but feels like a safeguarding issue that children need to understand

Yes I mean not every one has parental controls on devices. So it's suddenly harder to police things.

"Is there any way to limit or restrict my kid's activity on TikTok?
In addition to blocked search terms, TikTok also offers Digital Wellbeing features to help limit time spent on the app and limit the appearance of videos that may be inappropriate. To turn these features on, tap the three dots at the top right of your user profile. Then select "Digital Wellbeing" next to the icon of an umbrella. The features are automatically protected by a four-digit pass code so kids can't turn them off on their own. From there, parents can opt to turn on Screen Time Management, which limits users to two hours on the app per day, and Restricted Mode, which blocks some content. Keep in mind, Restricted Mode isn't foolproof, and even with the filter on, kids using the app on their own might come across age-inappropriate videos.
How can I monitor my kid's activity on TikTok?
Other than Restricted Mode, there's no way to filter out content on TikTok, so parents are encouraged to share an account with kids under the age of 13. This will let you keep an eye on what your kid is viewing and posting. Parents of older kids who are more resistant to monitoring can ask about their favorite video creators and get to know their videos (with or without your kid). Also, take the time to regularly look at the most popular songs, videos, memes, and challenges."

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-parental-control-apps,review-2258.html

I had my year 3 asking if she could have a youtube channel to make hairstyle videos the other day! (She only knows how to do a ponytail so it would be a really shite channel)... no way!

I'm fairly laid back on things like screen time - but the internet and youtube is only with an adult in the room and permission, and no social media other than the school's google classroom setup for a good few years yet.

They watch kids with own You tube channels and aspire to be them... and hear about the money the kids make.... my DCs mates know the names of all the big name ones...

Sounds like your trying to prove a point. Your 11 year old shouldn’t have it, I feel your making yourself feel better by insisting you track it all etc. Seriously just get her off.l it she’s far too young.

No point to prove. Just interested in others experiences now. As I said, I've stopped access although I've kept the ap as otherwise she'll just gain access via other friends accounts.

OP - make school aware (they more likely already will be) and congrats on your attitude to social media. You can teach your daughter how to use it safely and all about stranger danger. By using it with her you are showing an interest and she will be more likely to come to you if she has a problem. Don't threaten to take it away/remove it as children will find a way to do it covertly if they wanted to and then you would not know anything. All you can really do is teach your daughter to be aware of the dangers of SM. If you have specific instances that you are concerned about let school know and they can hopefully discuss with children/parents.

I am actually going to chat to school, as having had a good look around on it, I've found stuff posted by kids with hundreds of random followers that has been filmed in classrooms with loads of other kids in. The school has a very strict stance on photos and SM and no parents / carers are allowed to take videos in school etc but they have overlooked the kids doing it.

They should have it covered in their safeguarding policy, media agreement in schools policy, use of phones and devices, social media policy and behaviour policy.There is no way they can have overlooked having procedures for children. They will have covered this in PHSE as well.
I have to assume no one has reported to school.

I have to assume not. But it's like I've said, if there are loads of DC with a cavalier attitude to it and parents aren't checking then how would they know? Yr6 aren't always totally supervised at playtimes and lunchtimes etc - big school. Although it leaves me wondering about them not supervised in classrooms. Hard to tell if it's before school starts etc. The content is pretty choice too.

DD is in year 6 and is not allowed it but plenty of the class are. Some of the parents were discussing it recently and one mentioned that once they have the app, they are free to create as many accounts as they want - so some will have the locked down, private one that the parent knows about and other(s) which the parents might have no idea exists. They found out their DC had at least three accounts, and there was even an account for the family pet.

I have a look every now and again just to check DD isn’t on her friends’ accounts and I’m horrified that other parents don’t seem to have a problem with their children having open profiles, and then posting in totally identifiable school uniform. One of the children in DD’s class has 5k+ followers!

Our pupils aren't allowed mobile phones in school a simple step to prevent misuse

I'm sure that at our school phones are supposed to be kept in bags but as a very high percentage walk themselves to school and back and to friends houses etc, they will have them with them. That's why they can't just say 'no phones in school' as parents would be in uproar.
I didn't realise it was that easy to set up multiple accounts which is no don't why quite a few have done it. I agree on the very identifiable videos, profile names that are their own names etc as well as lots of videos in bedrooms, bathrooms etc

School have no control over things outside of school, that's parents responsibility. Our children hand in phones on arrival and collect them at home time.

We have a no phone policy. If a phone really is needed re travel etc they all sign them into the office and out again each day. That is about 6 in a two form entry school. No phones in class for staff either.

The poster says they are posting images taken inside the classroom

Our children do the same as Norestformrz-hand them in at the beginning of the day and collect them at the end, it would be a very lax primary school that didn't have a similar procedure. ( Mind you, I once had a parent turn up to collect their child who was apparently ill. The child had contacted Mum using her smart watch and asked to be collected! Smart watches are now banned too!)
We can inform and advise both parents and children but we can't be responsible for what happens outside school. It always amazes me when parents come in to complain that their child is being bullied over TickTock or WhatsApp and the messages are being sent and replied to at 11 o'clock at night!

The school can absolutely have some control over phone usage in school. At our school, mobiles are left in the office on the way in and collected on the way out. Seems completely sensible and acceptable.

There's a degree of resignation and 'fait a compli' from some adults around mobile phone use and social media exposure among v young children that is irresponsible and bizarre to my mind. We know this stuff is dangerous and harmful, we have the ability to prevent it impacting on our children. We need to behave as the adults.

Have you talked to your DD about the reality of paedophiles and what they use apps like this for? Because if you're not going to keep your DD safe the least you can do is give her all the information to make her own decisions 🙄

Yes I have discussed with her. I've shown her that people she knows are being followed by random men / dogs etc and discussed that unless you actually know the person and would be friends in real life, they are seriously not friends. I'll be asking school about polices as I am not aware of kids handing phones in. Several have smart watches too.

If you google Tik Tok, there are some really good articles why it is unsuitable for under 13s and most websites suggest over 16s for Tik Tok. An app is only as good as its developers and the issue with Tik Tok is that its developers aren’t great and therefore the filter is so poor you can still access all sorts in spite of it. It has had a very high profile court case in the US where it was refusing to take down underage videos and underage accounts. Although it has had a big fine and restrictions now in the US, they are not applicable to the rest of the world.

Remember most teachers are no more expert than us. Commonsensemedia and the cyberlady website are good sources of information if you want to know about social media apps.

@bombaychef just say no. Lots of my daughter's friends are on tiktok and instagram and have youtube channels (year 6). She doesn't. Be the parent. It's ridiculous at this age.

Meh. My ten year old daughter uses it. I'm not worried. You have to be aware of what they are doing online and keep an open dialogue and discussion. But I'm not banning anything, that way it becomes a forbidden fruit.

Along with many other parents who ignore the risks