How Is TikTok Affecting The Youth? By: Josie ford

TikTok is an app that was created a few years ago. It is a replacement to the app Musical.ly. TikTok became very well known and is an app to create videos and share them with others all around the world. Although it is a great app, could it be harming younger people in ways we don't realize?

One problem that for young people that use TikTok is what type of videos they are seeing. Although TikTok was made younger people, people of all ages use the app. Although that is fine, kids could be watching videos that they should not be watching and inappropriate for their age. This could influence young people to do things that they shouldn't be doing.

Another problem with the app for younger people is the addiction that can be formed from it. When scrolling through your TikTok feed, the videos are never ending which means you could be watching videos for hours. This is different than any other social media app and could get kids hooked on it and distract them from getting things done.

Although all of the problems are very important, I think that mental health is the biggest problem involving TikTok. Kids, especially girls, are seeing other girls at a young age. It is setting a "beauty standard" for them. They are also watching other girls getting bullied for the way they look. So young girls seeing this could really effect them. I think a lot of young girls could possibly develop eating disorders from this and that is a very dangerous thing.

CITATIONS

https://smartsocial.com/post/negative-impact-tiktok

https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-whats-tiktok-doing-to-our-kids- 20211118-32kx365w2ja6rhnoe2aoorkbpi-story.html

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Credits:

Created with images by NINENII - "Closed up image of a Female using TikTok application on a smartphone in home. 5 September, 2022. ChiangMai, Thailand." • Looker_Studio - "Social media and digital online concept, woman using smart phone. The concept of living on vacation and playing social media. Social Distancing ,Working From Home concept." • Мар'ян Філь - "Three children of all ages walk together in the city and play games on phones. The children went out to the street for walks and instead sit and looking at smartphones" • Monster Ztudio - "Woman hand using mobile smartphone with icon social media and social network. Online marketing concept" • BillionPhotos.com - "Cyberbullying Low self esteem. teenager girl. Teen mental health, Social media harassment."