Tiktok is an application where people of all ages can dance to certain songs or create funny content with each other.
Many young children are on the platform having fun dancing to the catchy beats. However, it seems that there are some sick people who use this app to target young kids and sexually groom them.
PDRM has posted a Public Service Announcement on their official Facebook page asking for parents to monitor their children on TikTok.
“Everyone is hyped up on using the TikTok application but please be aware of certain individuals that will try to take advantage of children on the app. They will try to manipulate the children’s excitement to do certain inappropriate TikTok challenges (in an attempt to groom them) and will ask them to touch certain parts of their body.”
PDRM also mentioned that the videos might be saved by the paedophile into their private collection or it might be shared to other paedophiles.
They advised parents to monitor their child’s actions on TikTok so that their child will not fall prey to these paedophiles.
Unfortunately, this is not a new revelation as there were already quite a lot of parents complaining about their children being targeted on the platform. The Sun UK has actually interviewed quite a few parents on this issue and truthfully, it is quite revolting. We’ll let the pictures and screenshots speak for themselves.
A ten-year-old girl received this creepy yet disgusting message from a stranger.
Some comments that The Sun found on a child’s TikTok video.
Some comments that The Sun found on a child’s TikTok video.
So, parents, please beware of what your child is doing and who are they talking to on TikTok. Talk to them about changing their privacy settings and educate them on the dangers of talking to strangers.
The writer tried to sign up for an account posing as a child (10 years old) and TikTok did not allow that to happen. However, children of ages 13 and above are allowed to sign up.
To make things safer, parents should discuss some ground rules before allowing their children to download and sign up for TikTok.
Some of the settings recommended are as follows:
Go to your profile and click on settings. Look for “Privacy and Safety”. We recommend not allowing other people to find you and to switch your account private so that any videos you post will not reach the “For You” page. Turning off the comments completely or only to the user’s friends will be safer as well. Please remember to habitually check your child’s “liked” videos to look at the type of content they are digesting.
All in all, parents need to beware of their children’s actions on all social media platforms to make sure that they are not negatively influenced, bullied, stalked or sexually groomed.
What do you think about this? Let us know.
Also read: Mydin Owner Takes Wipe It Down Challenge to Whole New Level on TikTok
