TikTok
Digital environment
What is Digital environment ?
Apps and environments young people use
Type of digital environment:
- Algorithmic recommendations
Age restriction: 13
TikTok is a social media app where users can watch, create, and share short videos.
Risks and motivations
Risks
Young people who use TikTok may be exposed to digital risk factors like
- sharing of extreme content
- algorithmic radicalisation
- drug and gang culture
- dangerous challenges
- reality shifting
- anacoaches
Young people using TikTok may also experience:
Motivations
Young people might use TikTok to:
- build relationships and networks
- build confidence
- develop skills
- share expertise or interests
- make money
- have fun
- learn something new
Young people’s voice
How young people engage with the environment
I really like going on the For You page, it’s quite interesting. You get these different people talking about different things. On TikTok, there’s a lot more influencers who have a paid partnership with different companies so they’re obviously promoting a lot of the products.
Children's media lives, OFCOM, 2023
TikTok is like a form of therapy. If I just speak about [my health] to as many people as possible, it feels less scary.
Munchausen by internet, Voicebox, 2022
What you can do
How to report content in this environment
How to close an account in this environment
![](https://online-risk-guide.barnardos.org.uk/transforms/_540xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/3239/GettyImages-1405778995-1.webp)
Share your experience of TikTok
You can tell us about:
- other terms you might have heard
- conversations you’ve had with young people
- a related platform or app
- another related risk or harm