A buffalo mom gives all parents a warning about the TikTok App. In an interview with a senior reporter, Eileen Buckley, Kimberly Viola, a mother, and an IT expert shared that the popular short video sharing app has brought her 10-year-old daughter trauma. She emphasized that "there is a hidden danger for young kids and teenagers using the app. As Buckley, a 7 Eyewitness News reporter, spoke with this mom, an initial impression was created.
Seemingly, as indicated in this WKBW article, "At a glance, the TikTok app may appear innocent with a lot of short funny video clips of kids showing off their artistic side." But as Viola earlier mentioned, Viola the app meant trauma for her child. She added, her little girl got exposed to sexually explicit material from a slayer. The said material, this working mom lamented, contained abusive and harmful things that her daughter could no longer erase from her mind. This, the concerned mother said, is what she now wants to share to help the other parents like her.
Talking to Kids
As parents, it is important that they talk to their children often. If you are a Dad or Mom with children who are on TikTok, parenting experts advise that parents should spend time with their kids more frequently. When the youngsters wish to install an app on their mobile phone, it is essential that they talk to their parents first. Viola emotionally shares, it breaks her heart as a mother to see how the impacts have changed her daughter. She even shared having sought counseling as her child is already having nightmares, afraid that someone out there was going to get her.
On the contrary, TikTok was said to have been developed not to scare the youths but rather protect the privacy of kids. Apparently too, it seems that Viola's daughter is not yet at the right age to join TikTok. According to the widely-used app's privacy rules, TikTok is developed intentionally for young individuals, 13 years old and above. And, just last month, the company updated the app's privacy rules putting emphasis on its commitment to shield the privacy of children.
TikTok's Privacy Policy
This newly updated Privacy Policy of Tiktok applies to U.S. residents. Aside from putting emphasis that the platform is intended for individuals aged 13 and above, it also discusses how it collects information. As such, information is collected when one creates an account and uses the app. More so, TikTok collects the information users share with its platform from the providers of the third-party social media network, as well as the behavioral and technical information about their use of the app.
TikTok, on its part, does not stop taking initiatives to address the issues on its users' privacy especially if it is for the welfare of its younger patrons. Recently, it introduced the Family Safety Mode parental control feature to help parents manage and control the content of their kids' TikTok account. Aside from this, the company also previously released the "You're in Control," a user-safety campaign educating users on their internet safety options and privacy, as well as the community guidelines of the app.
