Is TikTok “unsuitable” for teenagers? Apple thinks so

Published: November 4, 2024

Is TikTok “unsuitable” for teenagers? Apple thinks so

By Movieguide® Contributor

Apple privately told TikTok that its content was “not suitable” for teenagers.

Apple told the social media giant that “the platform contained more adult content than is appropriate for children under the age of 17 and called on the company to raise the age range it recommends for users, according to newly disclosed reports in a government lawsuit against the social network.” The Washington Post reported.

The App Store description of the Chinese-owned platform states that it is safe for children aged 12 and over. However, back in 2022, Apple suggested that TikTok raise its age rating due to “frequent or intense adult or obscene content” detected.

Internal documents from Apple to TikTok said: “We hope you will consider making the necessary changes to comply with the App Store’s review guidelines and resubmit.” The app responded by using what it called “aggressive strategies” to improve content security, but vulgar, sexual and offensive content still remains.

Accountable Tech campaigner Zamaan Qureshi said the evidence “should concern every parent, young person, legislator and regulator in the United States” – Accountable Tech reported.

“Without more legislative action on children’s online safety, he said, lawsuits like the one in South Carolina have effectively become “the only accountability measures left to find out what these companies know about their products and know what these products harm young people.” ,’” outlet added.

Numerous states have taken matters into their own hands, suing TikTok for the harm it causes to its users.

In response to these statements, TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek said“Unfortunately, this complaint contains misleading quotes and takes outdated documents out of context to distort our commitment to public safety. We have robust safeguards in place that include proactive removal of suspected underage users, and we have voluntarily implemented safety features such as default screen time limits, family couples and default privacy for minors under 16.”

However, Coleman asserts“If we don’t hold TikTok accountable, our children will suffer very real consequences. No less than their mental, physical and emotional health is at stake.”

Concerns about TikTok’s security have been raised frequently.

Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate prepared the report in December 2022 suggested TikTok’s algorithm showed harmful content to some viewers in the first minutes of using the platform.

“There’s content about self-harm, there’s silly content about treating mental health (conditions),” he said. said. “The algorithm recognizes the vulnerability and, instead of seeing it as something to be wary of, it sees it as a potential point of addiction – helping to maximize a child’s time on the platform by providing them with content that can trigger some of the existing issues.”

READ MORE: IS THE TIKTOK ALGORITHM REALLY AS DANGEROUS AS WE THINK?