Page 9 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 6_2023

Today's Child
Initiative
TikTok is used by nearly over one billion users exactly how powerful this app can be in a
negative context.
and is more viral than YouTube and Instagram.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SHARE
The real challenge is that we can’t
ikTok is a free app that allows getting hurt! There are a few of these: protect our children from all the latest
users to express their creativity The skull breaker challenge involves crazes. As we know, the more we say
and imaginations in short intentionally tripping an unsuspecting don’t do something, the greater the
Tvideo-sharing format. It started victim so that they fall. The aim is to get intrigue will be to go and find out more
off as a simple lip-syncing app but has them to hit their head on the ground. I and to perhaps do exactly the opposite of
evolved to allow users to create and was shown a few of the videos posted what we ask.
share their videos, featuring any musical and it was horrendous to watch! Children
genre within various video categories fell really hard on their backs, some A better approach may be to keep
such as DIY, sport, food, comedy, dance, smacked their heads - the consequences yourself, as a parent, informed - read up
animals – just about anything. According can be really serious, with lifelong on the latest craze - let’s face it, if it isn’t
to TikTok, “It’s raw, real, and without ramifications. TikTok, it will be something else. Never
boundaries... It’s from the gut, ‘come as lose sight of the fact that these social
you are’ storytelling told in 15 seconds.” Another is the penny challenge media platforms are built with one
You can add music, or no music, sound where children drop a coin between goal in mind - to commercialise their
effects, filters, trim, cut, add emoji’s, a phone charger and a wall plug. The users, which they see as their ‘product’.
merge - just about anything you can think consequence – a fire! Just like everything we buy is tracked,
of. The result is that TikTok influencers everything we do online is tracked and
are creating videos about everything, Some people use TikTok as a platform to stored, and that information has value
from politics through to childhood share controversial political views and which can be used for or against us.
stories. sexually inappropriate content. Young
children innocently make what are Invite your children to talk about their use
IS IT SAFE? actually inappropriate videos of a sexual of social media, ask questions, and debate
As with any social media platform, TikTok nature and others sing along to songs the value of the different apps, the safety,
gathers information – content, messages, filled with vulgar language. Recently, a and the perception of why they are cool.
your likes and dislikes, friends, devices ‘campaign’ was launched against Donald Most importantly, explain that they need
being used, IP addresses, geolocations Trump - people were encouraged to to take responsibility for their own safety
- you name it. Its exponential growth, book as attendees for his rally, to ‘fill because no social media platform will ever
(especially during lockdown), and sheer up’ the venue, basically to prank him. truly be private and secure and they are
scale is where the risk lies. Thousands did so and, as a result, almost constantly vulnerable to being exploited.
no real supporters arrived on the day.
This Chinese-owned app has been Whether you like the man or not, this Lastly, encourage your children to apply
under investigation in several countries is questionable behaviour and shows the tips below, for their own safety:
in terms of privacy and data security
issues. There are even reports suggesting
that it is ‘Chinese spyware’. In Korea,
they were fined for mismanaging data
gathered from minors. The BBC reported
“TikTok collected data of children
under 14 years old without the consent
of legal guardians . . . the regulator
found that more than 6 000 records
involving children were collected over
six months, violating local privacy laws.”
India, its largest market, has banned
TikTok because of child safety issues and
the UK is investigating it over similar
concerns. The US is also considering a
TikTok ban, describing it as a national security
risk. Companies like Amazon and Wells
Fargo in the US asked employees to
delete TikTok from their phones due to
“concerns about TikTok’s privacy and
security controls and practices.” This may
be similar to concerns about Facebook About Life Talk Forum
but the real difference here is that the Life Talk’s mission is to create happy, successful and fulfilled youth, guided by sound values.
users are very young. Life Talk is a non-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness, stimulating discussions
and seeking solutions to the challenges faced by parents and their children.
OUR CHILDREN ARE
GETTING HURT LIFE TALK® FORUM NPC REG: 2010/017980/08 PBO # 930 036317
The real danger though lies within
ourselves, in how people are using the Other sources:
app. Children are being exposed to https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/what-is-tiktok/
https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/5-not-so-great-things-about-tiktok-dangerous-challenges-censorship-security
potentially dangerous videos in the form https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2020/08/11/tiktok-apple-iphone-google-android-data-shttps://www.
of challenges where they are asked to forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2020/07/11/tiktok-seriously-dangerous-warning-delete-app-trump-ban/#4d-
mimic the content, and children are 8353ca2b0eecurity-update-warning-investigation-trump-ban/#4e13f6b13436

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