By Kayla DeKraker
TikTok is a dangerous place that preys on the vulnerabilities of children through its powerful algorithm, but a setting you probably don’t know about can help keep your kids safe.
The social media platform’s algorithm works to bring content to the viewer that it thinks they like, which can often result a slew of unwanted or inappropriate material on people’s feeds.
Thankfully, the “Refresh Your For You Page” setting resets the algorithm.
“The algorithm recognizes vulnerability and, instead of seeing it as something it should be careful around, it sees it as a potential point of addiction – of helping to maximize time on the platform for that child by serving them up content that might trigger some of the pre-existing concerns,” said Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate.
TikTok algorithms have grown more and more concerning. Ahmed said of the platform, “There is self-harm content, there is nonsensical content about cures for mental health [conditions].”
He added, “The truth is that they are being flooded with content that gives them an extremely distorted view of themselves, their bodies, their mental health, and how they compare to other people.”
Related: Atheist TikTok User Turns to Jesus After Watching Christian Content
He also revealed that TikTok can provide “12 times more harmful content” than other platforms. PEOPLE reported less than eight minutes on the platform can put women at a greater risk of developing an eating disorder.
A study conducted by Ahmed’s found that within two and a half minutes of setting up a TikTok account, children can be exposed to harmful content.
“Adolescence is the second most transformative period in your life — after the initial 2 to 3 years,” Melissa Huey, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at New York Institute of Technology, said. “So these teens are vulnerable, and they’re highly susceptible to peer influence.”
She continued, “they’re struggling a lot with depression and anxiety — due to social media and the internet. So these platforms are just helping to facilitate issues that teens are already struggling with.”
This is why the “Refresh Your For You Page” option is so important.
Refreshing it resets whatever dangerous algorithm has been developed. In order to do this, users can “open TikTok and navigate to Settings and Privacy, Select Content Preferences, Choose ‘Refresh Your For You Page’ and confirm, Repeat this process weekly for sustained effectiveness.”
TikTok is a dangerous place for kids and teens, and parents must stay in communication with their kids about the content coming across their social media feeds. Thankfully, there are tools available that can help parents and children alike.
Read Next: Disney, Spotify, TikTok Made AI Advances
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
– Content: +4Share:
– Content: +3