Social media has had a big impact on today's society. There are lots of platforms that many of us use, such as platforms that can be used to connect us with others or watch videos during our free time or when we're bored. TikTok is a big platform that almost all of us are familiar with, a platform that contains short videos, whether those videos are step-by-step instructions on how to make a recipe, a fun new place near your city you can go explore next time you go out, or educational videos that show you new things. TikTok has countless videos people like to watch during their free time. But with social media, there are pros and cons to it. TikTok is one of those platforms people have different views on. Lots of people go into deep debates about TikTok being a good platform for teenagers' mental health and whether or not it's good for them. With TikTok having such big popularity, parents aren't sure if they should let their teenagers be online making/watching videos from others that could possibly influence them to do different things that they are exposed to. Depending on parents’ views on TikTok, it's good to point out TikTok and other social media platforms that are beneficial for mental health and other well-being if used with parental supervision/monitored by them.
1st Perspective: TikTok Opening Doors to Teenagers
On one side of the debate, people point out that TikTok has many impacts on teenagers and opens many doors for them. In the article “The Impact of TikTok on Young People” by Sedona Sky Academy, they present us with information about teenagers having creativity with the app, which is especially something impactful helping them to know how to show themselves to others. With this app, teenagers have the ability to post short videos of themselves doing something impactful and creative. “TikTok has become an outlet for creativity and self-expression for many teenagers.” (The Impact of TikTok on Young People). Staying positive by creating videos could help teenagers cope with mechanisms such as anxiety, stress, and depression by doing art within videos and finding peace in a community they feel safe around, even if it's online.
Creativity plays a major role, which creates numerous opportunities for these teens to look forward to. If teenagers want to express themselves and to motivate others to do so as well, they can build up their platform and create a community that stands on things they stand for. They have numerous ideas that are endless. In the article “Why TikTok Isn’t All That Bad and How Teens Can Actually Use TikTok for Good,” talks about the variety of impacts that TikTok has on teenagers. Havana Dauncey states that “[s]ocial media, especially TikTok, has been instrumental in the spreading of awareness of important topics such as mental health, sexuality, equality, racism, disabilities, and more” (Dauncey). With this stating, teenagers have a voice to speak on this platform. Helping each other with similar struggles they are going through. This leads to teenagers opening new discussions and making others more aware of a diversity of topics going around. TikTok, being one of the most popular apps among teenagers, can impact their mental health and how they view things and isn't just a bad app. It helps teenagers and others to show themselves on their platforms they create and makes them acknowledge the views on topics that are going on in the world that others struggle with as well.
2nd Perspective: Negative Factors TikTok Affects Teenagers Mental Health
The opposing side remarks that TikTok is bad for teenagers, mostly their mental health. This affects them more due to the fact that they are still young and don't know how people in the outside world can influence into bad habit. In the article “Is TikTok safe for teenagers?” It states all the factors that go into why this is such a harmful app for teenagers and why they shouldn’t have it without parental supervision. Dr. Cari Whitlock gives out his assertion on this topic and gives a big key of evidence from the “Security.org organization” and provides the audience an idea why teenagers shouldn’t be exposed to this trendy app: “[K]ids on TikTok have a 64% chance of experiencing cyberbullying – this includes repeated harmful or offensive comments, harassment, spreading rumors or lies, and threatening and hurtful messages” (qtd. in Whitlock). Those in disapproval of the app are aware that these teenagers will be affected by malicious comments from others in the same app, given this information. Parents should be aware of the consequences that come with it. “Cyberbullying is related to other issues like delinquency, anti-social behavior, and substance abuse” (Whitlock). Which could be harmful for them and influence them, such as being rude to others, being reticent, becoming depressed due to the hate, and turning their way to drugs that could become an addiction later, etc. In addition, Whitlock argues that many TikTok accounts show teenagers videos they shouldn't be watching or on topics they shouldn't be listening to, which could affect them and their mental state or eventually talk about topics that they shouldn't be exposed to at such a young age. “TikTok states that users are barred from sharing inappropriate or illegal content but relies on algorithms to filter content – which is definitely not foolproof” (Whitlock). In this way, many of these videos aren't taken down by TikTok and stay up for days or even months that teenagers will be exposed to while using that app. The platform has many negative aspects that not many parents are aware of, and they should be taken more seriously for their teenager's mental health.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Both sides of these arguments come with strengths and weaknesses that almost all topics that are talked about have, depending on what people stand on. The Sedona Sky Academy gives out many facts on why TikTok has had more success with teenagers. Her arguments take us through all the positive effects teenagers can gain with this platform and how it helps their mental state. As well as later on stating that TikTok has “faced its fair share of concerns and criticisms” (The Sedona Sky Academy). Goes on to show us that the academy isn't being biased against the other side and gives out the concerns on TikTok impacting mental health. They do give out the factors of the platform helping teens in their mental health, but at the same time, the downfalls. They go on to mention the potential of cyberbullying and negative impacts but take into consideration how to stop these by parental supervision: “By monitoring and guiding their usage, setting healthy boundaries, and encouraging digital literacy, parents can help ensure a positive and safe experience for their teenagers on TikTok” (The Sedona Sky Academy). By stating these, it gives their evidence weakness by not staying true to their view. The sense confuses the viewer by exposing them to both positive and negative impacts. But at the same time, it gives their view a strength by mentioning the negatives and stating how it could be prevented.
Whitlock, similarly, has achieved and failed in areas in her argument. Whitlock is a clinical psychologist, making us aware that she knows and has studied these areas. She seems to have more knowledge due to all the information she provides us, plus giving us evidence to back up her claims. She discusses all the bad things TikTok can do to teenagers and reasoning into how parents could make it safer for kids to watch and have on their devices. Which is important to point out in her statement because she talks about all the bad factors of TikTok. And by stating all these negative factors, it strengthens her statements. One thing Witlock failed to give us in her article was a personal or familiar experience, evidence that she never put in her article once; this could have really brought strength to her side of the argument. With her being a clinical psychologist, we would have believed that she showed us examples and charts from clients she's known and been around, but she mostly just states statements from other researchers. Which frailty were statements Whitlock makes a reference “According to Common Sense Media, 38% of kids aged 8 to 12 years now report using some sort of social media – an age group that is often not allowed on certain platforms” (qtd. in Whitlock). She mostly makes references to other sources and the information that they have researched. In Whitlock's article, she never mentions a single piece of evidence she's discovered, which weakens all her statements. The only strength her article gives is at the very end, which provides us with how to prevent some of these actions by parents educating their children to be safe with the app.
Similarities and Differences
There are several similarities and differences between each side of the debates on this topic. One side is against TikTok and sees it as an "effect on children and teens’ mental health and self-esteem. (Whitlock). And the other side states it has positive mental health impacts to using the app, such as “Its influence extends beyond being just a popular social media platform and has had a significant impact in various aspects of teenagers' lives” (The Sedona Sky Academy). Both sides have different perspectives towards the topic, but at the same time, both articles state information on what can be done to prevent bad things from happening to teenagers mental health by parental supervision. Whitlock approaches her debate that TikTok has negative effects on mental health. But goes over how to prevent bad habits that form mental health: "Parents should educate themselves about other social media apps and websites their children are using. . . can also help protect your child in the digital world” (Whitlock). This is a similarity between both debates: they mention similar things in their articles and their valid concerns towards the topic. The Sedona Sky Academy stands on the app being good for teenagers mental health and how it helps them express themselves more freely, impacting their lives. “The app has resonated with young people due to its dynamic and interactive nature, allowing them to express their creativity” (The Sedona Sky Academy). The author agrees and gives out much evidence as to why it helps their mental state, but Whitlock sees otherwise; she goes on to explain both concerns and risks teens are being exposed to and how parents shouldn't allow their teens to have the app.
Compromise
As both sides don't persuade us into standing on one side due to their strengths and weaknesses, it's difficult to come to a final thought. Both sides have strong arguments for their different opposing sides and key factors they mentioned throughout their articles. Both sides would agree that parental supervision would be one of the key factors to look up to while using TikTok and other social media platforms. In my opinion, after viewing both sides, I think TikTok can negatively impact teenagers mental health. TikTok being one of the most used apps, there are a variety of people that take this as a way to lure teenagers into looking/thinking bad things. They could gain bad habits by people texting them or teens being influenced by videos being posted. A better approach so some teens can use the app is TikTok bettering their age guidelines for older teens to use. All social media has harmful effects on it, whether through comments, posts, or people on the platform. If TikTok is harmful for teenagers and it weren't open to them, they would miss the chance of meeting new people, looking at different views going on in the world, and so many more factors. Better TikTok guidelines could be beneficial for teens to try to change it and be more of a positive influence on teens.
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