Many parents don't allow their children to use TikTok in order to protect them from the many harms of the popular social-networking app. From predators to pornography and even ads for free birth control, TikTok is rife with dangerous content.
Unfortunately, TikTok's short video clips have become the template for other social media platforms. While parents may not allow their children to have TikTok, they are still exposed to the same potentially harmful material if they have Snapchat, Instagram or Facebook. Snapchat has a section available to all users called, "Spotlight," and Instagram and Facebook both have, "Reels." These different sections feature TikTok-like videos or even content directly from TikTok.
Now that the new year is here, it is the perfect time to re-evaluate your family's social media consumption. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests creating a Family Media Plan that is specific to your family, and to each child. The core of every plan should be your children's health, safety, and relationship with God and family. According to the AAP, "Media should work for you and within your family values and parenting style. When used thoughtfully and appropriately, media can enhance daily life. But when used inappropriately or without thought, media can displace many important activities such as face-to-face interaction, family-time, outdoor-play, exercise, unplugged downtime and sleep."