Third of teenagers have seen real-life violence on TikTok, research suggests
1 year, 1 month ago

Third of teenagers have seen real-life violence on TikTok, research suggests

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A third of 13 to 17-year-olds have seen footage of real-life violence on social media platform TikTok in the past year, research suggests. Researchers found that across all social media platforms, the most common type of violent material viewed was footage of fights, with nearly half of the children polled having seen such clips. “As a society, we have a duty to help children live their lives free from violence, both offline and online.” A TikTok spokesperson said: “TikTok removes or age-restricts content that’s violent or graphic, most often before it receives a single view, and provides parents with tools to further customise content and safety settings for their teens’ account.” A Snapchat spokesperson said: “Violence has devastating consequences and there is no place for it on Snapchat. “We work with law enforcement to support investigations and partner closely with safety experts, NGOs and the police to help create a safe environment for our community.” A YouTube spokeswoman said the site has strict policies prohibiting violent content, and quickly removes material that violates its policies, with more than 946,000 videos taken down in the second quarter of 2023.

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History of this topic

Dutch MP will propose banning children under 15 from using social media
6 days, 18 hours ago

Dutch MP will propose banning children under 15 from using social media

NL Times  

Dutch political party D66 is advocating for a minimum age of 15 for social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. “Tech giants are harming children’s health because social media is deliberately designed to be addictive,” said D66 parliamentarian Hanneke van der Werf, according to RTL." “The Netherlands doesn’t let cigarette manufacturers determine and enforce age restrictions,” Van der …

Nearly half of American teens are on the internet ‘almost constantly.’ Here’s what they’re viewing
1 week, 3 days ago

Nearly half of American teens are on the internet ‘almost constantly.’ Here’s what they’re viewing

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Seventy-five percent of teens aged 15 to 17 are more likely to use social media than teens …

New TikTok challenge leaves users across the world in hospital
2 weeks ago

New TikTok challenge leaves users across the world in hospital

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The country saw several young people injured in connection with the popular “Superman challenge” …

Texas weighs social media bans for minors as schools and police face challenges
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Texas weighs social media bans for minors as schools and police face challenges

Associated Press  

As school districts struggle to control the spread of cyberbullying, sexual abuse images and online exploitation among their students, Texas lawmakers could consider banning social media from minors, among other sweeping measures, in the upcoming legislative session. While they welcome any efforts to reduce harm to children, school officials and cybercrime investigators say more needs to be done to hold …

JUST SPAMMING | Can social media be kept out of the child's reach?
3 weeks, 1 day ago

JUST SPAMMING | Can social media be kept out of the child's reach?

Deccan Chronicle  

The latest news from down under is rather baffling. The Online Safety Amendment Act 2024 passed by the Australian Senate last week seeks to ban children below the age of 16 from using social media apps like TikTok, Facebook, Reddit, Snapchat, Instagram and X. Because in the Indian context, 70 per cent of the children access social media from their …

Safety is ‘at the core’ of TikTok, European executive says
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Safety is ‘at the core’ of TikTok, European executive says

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The safety of TikTok users “is at the core of the platform”, one …

Australia’s plan to ban children from social media proves popular and problematic
1 month, 1 week ago

Australia’s plan to ban children from social media proves popular and problematic

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — How do you protect children from the harms of social media? The Australian government’s plan to ban children from social media platforms including X, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram until their 16th birthdays is politically popular. More than 140 such experts signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemning the 16-year age limit as “too blunt …

TikTok has known about how the app can harm teens and preteens, new documents show
2 months, 1 week ago

TikTok has known about how the app can harm teens and preteens, new documents show

NPR  

TikTok has known about how the app can harm teens and preteens, new documents show AYESHA RASCOE, HOST: TikTok executives were acutely aware of the potential dangers the app could cause to teens but appeared unconcerned, even though the company's own internal research validated the fears child safety advocates have been raising for years. But in internal documents, TikTok admitted …

Inside the TikTok documents: Stripping teens and boosting 'attractive' people
2 months, 1 week ago

Inside the TikTok documents: Stripping teens and boosting 'attractive' people

NPR  

Inside the TikTok documents: Stripping teens and boosting 'attractive' people toggle caption Damian Dovarganes/AP Kids as young as 15 were stripping on TikTok’s live feature fueled by adults who were paying for it. TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes beautiful people When TikTok’s main video feed saw “a high volume of … not attractive subjects” filling everyone’s screens, the app rejiggered its algorithm …

TikTok executives know about app’s effect on teens, lawsuit documents allege
2 months, 1 week ago

TikTok executives know about app’s effect on teens, lawsuit documents allege

NPR  

TikTok executives know about app’s effect on teens, lawsuit documents allege toggle caption Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty Images For the first time, internal TikTok communications have been made public that show a company unconcerned with the harms the app poses for American teenagers. “Unfortunately, this complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and takes outdated documents out of context to misrepresent our commitment …

TikTok sued by multiple states for allegedly causing harm to children’s mental health
2 months, 2 weeks ago

TikTok sued by multiple states for allegedly causing harm to children’s mental health

The Independent  

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. …

Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta files lawsuit against TikTok for exploiting young users
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta files lawsuit against TikTok for exploiting young users

LA Times  

Rob Bonta joined several other attorneys general in filing lawsuits Tuesday against TikTok, alleging the popular social media app is exploiting young users, violating state consumer protection laws and misleading the public. Rob Bonta and several other state attorneys general filed a coordinated blitz of lawsuits Tuesday against TikTok, alleging the popular social media app is exploiting young users, violating …

TikTok sued by 14 attorneys general over alleged harm to children’s mental health
2 months, 2 weeks ago

TikTok sued by 14 attorneys general over alleged harm to children’s mental health

CNN  

New York CNN — A bipartisan group of 14 attorneys general from across the country filed lawsuits on Tuesday against TikTok, alleging that the platform has “addicted” young people and harmed their mental health. “TikTok’s underlying business model focuses on maximizing young users’ time on the platform so the company can boost revenue from selling targeted ads,” the attorneys general …

Social media platforms engaged in ‘vast surveillance’ and failed to protect young people, FTC finds
3 months ago

Social media platforms engaged in ‘vast surveillance’ and failed to protect young people, FTC finds

LA Times  

Social media apps and video streaming services are still facing scrutiny from U.S. regulators over youth safety and privacy concerns. Major social media platforms and video streaming services that gather a “staggering” amount of data from their users have failed to protect young people and safeguard online privacy, the Federal Trade Commission said Thursday. “These surveillance practices can endanger people’s …

Children and young teenagers could be banned from using social media, minister says
3 months, 1 week ago

Children and young teenagers could be banned from using social media, minister says

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Children in the …

New study links early childhood tablet use to anger outbursts
4 months, 1 week ago

New study links early childhood tablet use to anger outbursts

CNN  

CNN — Virtually every parent of young children has experienced outbursts of anger and frustration from their toddlers, whether it’s time to get up, go to bed or eat a sandwich without the crusts cut off. The new study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, shows that child tablet use at 3.5 years old was associated with a higher number …

DOJ lawsuit: TikTok illegally collected personal data from children
4 months, 2 weeks ago

DOJ lawsuit: TikTok illegally collected personal data from children

Salon  

The Department of Justice announced a sweeping suit against TikTok on Friday, accusing the social media platform of collecting personal data from children in violation of federal law. “This action is necessary to prevent the defendants, who are repeat offenders and operate on a massive scale, from collecting and using young children’s private information without any parental consent or control,” …

US DOJ files lawsuit against TikTok, ByteDance for failing on child privacy
4 months, 3 weeks ago

US DOJ files lawsuit against TikTok, ByteDance for failing on child privacy

Al Jazeera  

The US alleges that for years millions of American children under 13 have been using TikTok and the site ‘has been collecting and retaining’ their data. The United States Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against TikTok and parent company ByteDance for failing to protect children’s privacy on the social media app The government said on Friday TikTok violated …

TikTok collected user views on abortion and gun control, U.S. Justice Department says
4 months, 3 weeks ago

TikTok collected user views on abortion and gun control, U.S. Justice Department says

The Hindu  

In a fresh broadside against one of the world’s most popular technology companies, the Justice Department is accusing TikTok of harnessing the capability to gather bulk information on users based on views on divisive social issues like gun control, abortion and religion. TikTok employees used Lark to send sensitive data about U.S. users, information that has wound up being stored …

TikTok collected views of US users on abortion, gun control: Justice Department
4 months, 3 weeks ago

TikTok collected views of US users on abortion, gun control: Justice Department

India Today  

In a fresh broadside against one of the world’s most popular technology companies, the Justice Department is accusing TikTok of harnessing the capability to gather bulk information on users based on views on divisive social issues like gun control, abortion and religion. TikTok employees used Lark to send sensitive data about US users, information that has wound up being stored …

Justice Department says TikTok collected US user views on issues like abortion and gun control
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Justice Department says TikTok collected US user views on issues like abortion and gun control

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — In a fresh broadside against one of the world’s most popular technology companies, the Justice Department is accusing TikTok of harnessing the capability to gather bulk information on users based on views on divisive social issues like gun control, abortion and religion. TikTok employees used Lark to send sensitive data about U.S. users, information that has wound up …

TikTok Lite Leaves up to 1 Billion Users With Fewer Protections
5 months ago

TikTok Lite Leaves up to 1 Billion Users With Fewer Protections

Wired  

In May, TikTok announced that it would automatically label AI-generated content on its platform. A new report from the Mozilla Foundation and AI Forensics finds that TikTok’s Lite-Save Data version, aimed at users in poorer markets, not only leaves AI-generated content unlabeled, but also lacks other, similar safeguards. Some content about topics like elections and health, similarly, includes a notice …

Children, three, manipulated into sending predators sexual pictures, report claims
8 months ago

Children, three, manipulated into sending predators sexual pictures, report claims

Daily Mail  

A new report has found that children as young as three are being manipulated into sending predators sexual pictures and videos. A new report has found that children as young as three are being manipulated into sending predators sexual pictures and videos Susie Hargreaves, chief executive of the IWF, said: 'The opportunistic criminals who want to manipulate your children into …

TikTok creators warn of economic impact if app sees ban, call it a vital space for the marginalized
9 months, 1 week ago

TikTok creators warn of economic impact if app sees ban, call it a vital space for the marginalized

Hindustan Times  

Alex Pearlman shut the door on dreams of a standup comedy career almost a decade ago, pivoting from the stage to an office cubicle where he worked a customer service job. Pearlman is among the many TikTok creators across the U.S. outraged over a bipartisan bill passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday that would lead to a nationwide …

Instagram’s Pedophile Problem
9 months, 1 week ago

Instagram’s Pedophile Problem

Slate  

As the debate around child safety online rages on, an investigation by The New York Times found a seedy world of pedophiles interacting with child influencer accounts, often run by their parents, on Instagram. Meta sent a statement that said, in part: “Child exploitation is a horrific crime and online predators are determined criminals. We use sophisticated technology, hire child …

Majority of boys aged 11-14 ‘exposed to online content that promotes misogyny’
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Majority of boys aged 11-14 ‘exposed to online content that promotes misogyny’

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Every parent knows being online …

Meta, TikTok and other social media CEOs testify in heated Senate hearing on child exploitation
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Meta, TikTok and other social media CEOs testify in heated Senate hearing on child exploitation

Associated Press  

Suicide and eating disorders. “They’re responsible for many of the dangers our children face online,” Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who chairs the committee, said in opening remarks. From left; Discord CEO Jason Citron, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, X CEO Linda Yaccarino and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are sworn in during a Senate Judiciary Committee …

Gay, teenaged and online: LGBTQ+ Indians fight for safe space
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Gay, teenaged and online: LGBTQ+ Indians fight for safe space

The Hindu  

The suicide of a 16-year-old Indian boy who hit a wall of online abuse after posting selfies in saris and makeup has galavanised calls for social media giants to better protect LGBTQ+ Indians. "In India, the online abuse faced by LGBTQ+ creators, predominantly on Instagram, is pervasive and includes death threats, hate speech, rape threats, bullying and other forms of …

Meta, TikTok and other social media CEOs testify in heated Senate hearing on child exploitation
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Meta, TikTok and other social media CEOs testify in heated Senate hearing on child exploitation

LA Times  

Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg turns to address the audience during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to discuss child safety. On Wednesday, the chief executives of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify as lawmakers and parents grow increasingly concerned about the effects of social media …

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok CEOs face tough questions on child safety online I Watch LIVE proceedings
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok CEOs face tough questions on child safety online I Watch LIVE proceedings

India TV News  

California: The CEOs of top social media apps and video streaming platforms including Meta, TikTok, X and others are testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee about child exploitation on their platforms, as lawmakers, families and advocates are growing increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people’s lives. So independent regulation needs to step in.” Facebook to face …

To protect kids, California might require chronological feeds on social media
10 months, 3 weeks ago

To protect kids, California might require chronological feeds on social media

LA Times  

Social media companies design their feeds to be as gripping as possible, with complicated algorithms shuffling posts and ads into a never-ending stream of entertainment. A new California law would require companies to shut off those algorithms by default for users under 18, and implement other mandated tweaks that lawmakers say would reduce the negative mental health effects of social …

How TikTok ate kids’ brains
11 months ago

How TikTok ate kids’ brains

The Telegraph  

Yet TikTok’s growing influence and importance among kids and teenagers has sparked alarm in some quarters. Some activists, schools and researchers believe TikTok and short-form video apps leave children vulnerable to “rabbit holes” that can drag them towards extreme, radicalising or depressing content. Andy Burrows, of the online safety advocacy group the Molly Rose Foundation, says TikTok has “probably the …

A group representing TikTok, Meta and X sues Utah over strict new limits on app use for minors
1 year ago

A group representing TikTok, Meta and X sues Utah over strict new limits on app use for minors

Associated Press  

SALT LAKE CITY — A trade group that represents TikTok and other major tech companies sued Utah on Monday over its first-in-the-nation laws requiring children and teens to obtain parental consent to use social media apps. The trade association includes many of the world’s leading social media companies, including TikTok, Snapchat parent company Snap Inc., Facebook and Instagram parent company …

UK Government Considers Social Media Restrictions for Under-16s
1 year ago

UK Government Considers Social Media Restrictions for Under-16s

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad: The UK government, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is contemplating potential restrictions on social media access for teenagers below the age of 16 in a bid to safeguard them from online harm. Despite the implementation of the Online Safety Act, mandating social media platforms to shield minors from harmful content or face fines up to 10% of global …

TikTok has a problem of sexual explicit material. How children are at risk
1 year, 1 month ago

TikTok has a problem of sexual explicit material. How children are at risk

Firstpost  

As the top social media app used by teens, the presence of explicit content on TikTok can put young users in harm’s way. And while TikTok and regulators scramble to catch up with moderation needs, it’s ultimately up to parents and users to navigate these harms online Explicit content has long been a feature of the internet and social media, …

‘You can’t get away from it’: Third of teens in UK seeing real-life violence on TikTok and more than half on other social media
1 year, 1 month ago

‘You can’t get away from it’: Third of teens in UK seeing real-life violence on TikTok and more than half on other social media

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. When asked why young people commit acts of violence in …

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health
1 year, 1 month ago

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health

Associated Press  

Dozens of U.S. states, including California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta …

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children
1 year, 1 month ago

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health
1 year, 1 month ago

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health

Associated Press  

Dozens of US states, including California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta …

A worrying number of Instagram, TikTok challenges are harming children
1 year, 3 months ago

A worrying number of Instagram, TikTok challenges are harming children

The Hindu  

Risky challenges that trend on social networks are not new. One recent example is the viral ‘Egg Crack Challenge’ where adults call their unsuspecting children to the camera under the pretext of cooking or baking with them, only to break an egg on their forehead. The ‘Egg Crack Challenge’ was immediately criticised by parents who claimed it would teach children …

France riots: How social media is fuelling the violence
1 year, 5 months ago

France riots: How social media is fuelling the violence

Firstpost  

French president Emmanuel Macron accused social media of playing a ‘considerable role’ in encouraging copycat acts of violence as the country tries to tamp down protests that surfaced long-simmering tensions between police and young people in the country The violent protests in France refuse to die down. French president Emmanuel Macron has accused social media of playing a “considerable role” …

5 simple ways to step up your business's TikTok game
1 year, 6 months ago

5 simple ways to step up your business's TikTok game

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Social media followers are great, …

Women and girls ‘traumatised’ by social media, warns Georgia Harrison
1 year, 8 months ago

Women and girls ‘traumatised’ by social media, warns Georgia Harrison

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Reality TV personality Georgia Harrison has said women and girls are …

TikTok, Snapchat growing in popularity among UK children
1 year, 8 months ago

TikTok, Snapchat growing in popularity among UK children

The Hindu  

The number of children using TikTok and Snapchat rose last year in Britain, according to research published by media regulator Ofcom. Around half of those aged between 3 and 17 use TikTok and Snapchat, figures collected as part of the watchdog’s annual survey of children's and parents’ online attitudes showed. Ofcom’s annual report on attitudes towards media found children’s usage …

Arkansas sues TikTok, Meta over privacy, child safety claims
1 year, 8 months ago

Arkansas sues TikTok, Meta over privacy, child safety claims

Associated Press  

— The state of Arkansas sued TikTok and Facebook parent Meta on Tuesday, claiming the social media companies were misleading consumers about the safety of children on their platforms and protections of users’ private data. The state filed two lawsuits against TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance and a third lawsuit against Meta, which also owns Instagram, accusing the …

TikTok's algorithm is pushing out extremist and violent content to 13-year-olds
1 year, 8 months ago

TikTok's algorithm is pushing out extremist and violent content to 13-year-olds

Salon  

TikTok's algorithm is flooding teens with extremist content, including videos explicitly promoting suicide and violence, according to new research by corporate accountability group Ekō. "Toxic algorithms force users down a deadly spiral and keep them there by feeding them harmful content," said Ekō campaigner Maen Hammad. TikTok is filled with content related to the incel and "manosphere" communities that are …

TikTok might get banned after ‘disaster’ testimony. Why do some TikTokers not care?
1 year, 8 months ago

TikTok might get banned after ‘disaster’ testimony. Why do some TikTokers not care?

LA Times  

The U.S. government may be inching toward a radical restructuring of TikTok, if not an outright ban on the Chinese-owned social media app. “If ByteDance fights against this forced sale, TikTok will likely be banned in the US by late 2023.” “We would characterize today’s testimony. “It was a reminder that a sound business strategy for me as a content …

TikTok to develop parental control tool to block certain videos: Report
1 year, 9 months ago

TikTok to develop parental control tool to block certain videos: Report

Hindustan Times  

TikTok said on Wednesday it is developing a tool that will allow parents to prevent their teens from viewing content containing certain words or hashtags on the short-form video app, as the embattled company looks to shore up its public image. Like other social media apps, TikTok has also faced criticism for not doing enough to shield teens from inappropriate …

The real social media crisis: Teen mental health, not Hunter Biden's laptop
1 year, 10 months ago

The real social media crisis: Teen mental health, not Hunter Biden's laptop

Salon  

Teen girls are facing record levels of sexual violence and suicide risk as online harassment and bullying trends persist, according to a damning new survey from the Centers for Disease Control. With mounting pressure to act, both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate hope to craft new legislation to tackle threats to kids' online privacy and rein in the risks …

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