Is your child spending hours on TikTok these holidays? Should you be worried? 

TikTok has been picked up by most teenagers across the world - and it comes with problems. 

The app has over 2.6 billion downloads worldwide and one billion monthly users. It's safe to say the app has taken the world by storm since its release in September 2016.

TikTok was once an app where anyone could share seven-second videos, mainly lip syncing to songs. Now, videos can be up to 10 minutes long. You can find just about anything on TikTok currently, and this comes with positives and negatives. 

The Central App surveyed 10 Central Otago youth and found that on average, they estimate they spend between two and a half to three hours on TikTok daily. 

TikTok’s format of short videos has been linked to decreased attention spans in teenagers. 

Other issues such as data privacy and protection have caused countries to ban TikTok altogether. 

TikTok is run by Chinese company ByteDance which has a close relationship with the Chinese government.

This has led to fears the app is being used as a tool for the Chinese government to collect and exploit user data or spread propaganda.

In June 2020, India was the first country to ban TikTok due to security fears. 

Following that, the United States government almost banned Tiktok for the same concerns. 

While TikTok does have some censorship settings, users have access to a wide range of videos, people and topics. 

TikTok’s situation is not unique with apps like Facebook facing the same scrutiny.

As with any social media app, it is important to be aware of what you’re putting online, the terms and conditions you agree to, and knowing the limits. 

Find advice for NZ parents about Tik Tok here.