A study by the American Center for Countering Digital Hate, published in late 2022, found that TikTok promotes harmful content encouraging eating disorders and self-harm.
According to this study, it can take less than three minutes after signing up for a TikTok account to see content related to suicide and about five more minutes to find a community promoting eating disorder content.
In a statement to CNN in December 2022, the TikTok spokesperson said that the company "regularly consults with health experts" and removes any content that violates its safety policies.
Last month, Meta — which owns Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp — announced that it had teamed up with Snapchat and TikTok to prevent the spread of content featuring suicide or self-harm.
Approach to the Problem
Psychologist Aliriza Arënliu, a professor at the University of Prishtina, says that simply hiring psychologists and school counselors does not solve the problem for students who may be victims of dangerous social media challenges.
"People who work in the field need programs, systematic interventions, and training. This is where we lag behind," Arënliu told Radio Free Europe.
According to him, mental health challenges need to be addressed in schools, and curricula should be adapted to children’s needs for media literacy.
Professor Alban Zeneli argues that Media Literacy should be a mandatory subject in schools.
According to him, MASHT’s (Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation of Kosovo) guidelines for Internet use focus more on the technical aspects than on understanding the risks associated with different platforms.
"These topics are specifically covered in Media Literacy... It would help children going through the learning process become aware of the content they are viewing, develop critical thinking about the content, and at the same time not fall prey to these challenges or problems that might be harmful to them, and not just physically," Zeneli told Radio Free Europe.
Increased Control or Removal of TikTok
Sociologist Jeton Brajshori believes parents should take matters into their own hands — at least until the relevant institutions find effective mechanisms to prevent the influence of harmful content on social media.
According to him, increased parental control over children’s access to social media and the Internet in general does not infringe on their right to privacy.
"I tell all parents that a child under 18 doesn’t need strict privacy. We’re not saying that they should be monitored for everything, but it’s essential to be mindful of what they watch on TikTok, whom they are friends with...", Brajshori says.
He even suggests removing TikTok entirely from children’s phones.
He notes that TikTok content is less controlled compared to other social media platforms, which are used globally. According to him, children’s access to this platform increases the risk of being exposed to harmful content.
Most smartphones have a "parental control" module, allowing parents to limit the time their children spend on various apps on the Internet. However, using this feature can be challenging for parents who lack technological knowledge.
TikTok has over 1.5 billion active monthly users worldwide, with an estimated 25% aged between 10 and 19.