Eleven-year-old Sarah opened up her TikTok app and saw a video of her favorite vlogger (video blogger) acting out a challenge that had gone viral: grab some common ingredients, including bleach (!), mix it up in a plastic Ziploc bag, and hold it against one eye for at least a minute. The supposed result of the experiment? The eye would change color! What Sarah didn’t realize is that the creator of this challenge – a 19-year-old college kid – made the video “to show off his editing ability.” In other words, it was a fake and very dangerous joke! The eye bleach challenge is the latest viral stunt on Tik Tok, one that received 300,000 likes in the first week alone!
Talk to your kids about social media challenge videos – ASAP!
This is a great teaching moment for families. Have you ever talked to your kids about social media challenges? Here’s some discussion starters:
- Have you heard of any of these challenges?
- Have you ever tried one or thought it sounded fun or interesting?
- Why would kids try out a challenge?
- What could happen?
- Are all challenges dangerous? (Hint: The Jello Slime and Bottle Flip Challenges are more positive!)
- How can you decide if it’s a good idea to take a challenge?
Sometimes parents are the ones recording their kids taking these challenges. Think about the message you want kids to internalize. Are they learning to seek attention on social media for approval and self-esteem?
Are they buying into “dare culture?” Today’s challenge might be harmless, but tomorrow it might be downright dangerous.
You could say, “Let’s do a funny challenge together, but we’ll only film it if you want to, and we’ll only share it with family.” CNN
Is the TikTok app safe for kids?
TikTok is a Chinese-owned video-sharing app.
Never heard of it? Well, surprise! TikTok was the 4th most-downloaded app of 2018 worldwide. Is your tween or teen using the app? Here are some quick tips on what you need to know! TikTok is used most by young people to post homemade lip-synching and dancing videos using popular music.
Read the full article here.
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