Social media “challenges” have swept through the internet over and over again. Many of them were innocent and helping a good cause. However, there is always a darker side.
- Planking: The “Planking” challenge asked users to plank or basically make their body a ridged wooden plank resting on things and capture the image for Instagram. The problem was that people would rest in very dangerous areas. For example, some people would plank on chimneys, trees, basketball hoops, or train tracks.
- Penny: Another challenge was the “Penny Challenge.” The person was to drop a penny between a wall socket and a plug. This trend has started many house fires.
TikTok is Always Watching and Collecting Data
Let’s be honest here. Most people are not surprised that the apps they use track them. Additionally, most people do not read the Privacy Policy or User Agreement before accepting them. But the general public needs to start paying more attention.
- TikTok actively collects data on messages users write to their friends. It does not matter if you erase it or never hit send. This is clearly spelled out in the Privacy Policy.
- TikTok also requests access to data it doesn’t need to have so that you can watch short videos. The app wants access to the user’s phone’s model, screen resolution, current OS, phone number, email address, location, keystroke patterns, and contact list. Hello, big brother!
TikTok Doesn’t Promote Healthy Mental Acuity
In many ways, TikTok doesn’t help users with their mental capabilities and mental health.
- Feeds into short attention spans: Videos on TikTok are short, so a person is not being asked to watch something for very long or pay close attention. It encourages the short attention span problem that has surfaced in recent years.
- Fosters negative self-talk: TikTok shows a small part of a person’s life. It is not uncommon for users to compare themselves to what they see in the video. The videos make life seem glamorous and perfect. Users frequently struggle with negative self-talk and their image as they think their lives should be like a TikTok video.
- Cyberbullying is increasing: There are many videos of body shaming, name-calling, mocking others, or just tearing people apart. It is no wonder that so many suffer from depression, anxiety, isolation, and extreme stress from their internet usage.
Censorship is Not Balanced
TikTok has faced many issues of creators being unfairly or unequally censored. The app has faced claims of racial bias or removing the content of plus-size creators. There are no clear rules as to what is acceptable and what is not. While TikTok has issued apologies for some of these incidents, nothing has changed in how content is censored.
