We're continuing our WWSD CyberSense Parenting campaign to help parents understand different social media platforms and help you grasp what your teens are experiencing online. 

This month, we're delving into TikTok, which has over one billion monthly active users globally, and a huge portion of these users are teenagers and young adults.

So what is TikTok? Well, it's a free video-sharing social media platform app available on iPhone and Android, where users share videos, often featuring lip-synching to popular songs and sounds. It allows users to create, upload, and explore all kinds of content, including challenges, comedy routines, DIY tips, memes, and current events, all categorized by hashtags.

For better or worse, today's teens see TikTok as a platform for creativity, connection, and identity. Many younger generations actually use it as a search engine instead of Google!

Parents: 

1. Understanding why, how, (and if!) your teens are using TikTok is important. Initiate a conversation about their TikTok use, share your perspectives, and be curious about theirs.
2. Check out the app for yourself. After just 15 or 20 minutes scrolling through videos and learning the settings, you should have a good idea of whether it’s an app you’d feel comfortable letting your child use. 

Stay tuned for some of the red flags you need to be aware of over the next few days and weeks on our social media channels or by visiting https://www.westwind.ab.ca/parents/social-media-for-parents