From the Counsellors
Four Corners investigation into TikTok
The information below was shared on author Rebecca Sparrow’s Facebook page regarding TikTok and the concerns we need to have for young people accessing this app.
The Four Corners Episode Rebecca references can be viewed online here.
Some of the concerns outlined in the episode are listed below.
- The app uses your data and constant face scans to predict your physical and mental health issues and then can serve up content which exploits that issue.
- It’s racist and ableist, showing fewer videos posted by people of different ethnicities and those with disabilities. Also, it doesn’t 'favour' videos made by overweight or 'ugly' people.
- It can take two months to change your 'feed'. Even then the algorithm will still serve up triggering/inappropriate harmful content. The filters and settings essentially mean nothing. People who were actively blocking pro-anorexia/disordered eating content were still having it served up in their feed. It wasn’t mentioned but one would also assume the same would be true for videos on self harm and suicide ideation.
- There is a massive issue with the app serving up harmful videos (calorie counting/how to hide an eating disorder/how to not eat) for those people vulnerable to disordered eating.
- It is accessing videos and photos on your device regardless of whether you have uploaded them to TikTok.
Taylor Fletcher (Kinder–Year 6) and
Rachel Sylvester (Years 7–12)
SMC Counsellors