Kerby Anderson

The future of TikTok is uncertain. ByteDance was given a 75-day extension to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese owner. But Melissa Henson (Parents Television and Media Council) believes parents should pay attention right now to the dangers on this platform.

She explains, “Social media platforms aren’t innocent. The reality is that predators target children online to sexually exploit or extort them. Social platforms have harmed teens’ mental health and exposed teens to sexual harassment. Children and teens have been targeted by powerful algorithms causing eating disorders and other harmful content.”

Parents should be aware that their children are being targeted by a powerful algorithm that is designed to keep them hooked on the platforms. This isn’t merely speculation. There are internal memos and documents that reveal the goal of attracting and keeping young children on the platform.

Children are falling into patterns of addiction, depression, and sexual exploitation. That is why 14 state Attorneys General have filed lawsuits against TikTok. You might want to read the article by Melissa Henson or even follow the link to the lawsuits that have been filed to see how graphic and deviant some of the content is on this social media platform.

At this point you might be tempted to argue that TikTok has some redeeming value. If it was merely junk, it probably wouldn’t exist. My adult daughters sometimes find a good TikTok video and forward it to me. But that doesn’t negate all the negative influences found on this social media platform.

TikTok is a mixture of good and bad or light and darkness. Parents and grandparents need to be aware of the dangers of this social media platform.