The Internet is Forever: Tiktok

When considering social media and young people's relationship with it, there is one application that is hard to ignore: TikTok. As I sat down to reflect on social media habits, it was clear that the one app that rules most people's world is also a key part of mine. According to my iPhone screen time, I spend about ten hours a week on TikTok, so about an hour and 45 minutes a day. This fact alone was eye opening, but it also means I am well versed in the trends, controversies, and influencers that the app revolves around. 

When we think of privacy concerns on the internet, we tend to think of our own, like what our posts, phone numbers, emails, etc. are going or being used for. But what we often forget to consider is the privacy of those who cannot defend themselves, specifically young children.

What sparked my interest was the story of teenager who quit social media, due to a lack of privacy and control. She was extremely bothered by her family members posting her daily life without her consent. As I read, I was immediately reminded of a recent controversy that has been brought up on TikTok. That being the idea of 'family influencers', or more specifically, 'momfluencers', who gathered their fame largely, or only, from posting their children for the world to see, and frequently.

This problem is not new; for decades young children have been exploited in Hollywood, or the music industry (or both), and in more recent years YouTube. But these issues are often well hidden, or rather ignored, until the children themselves grow up and speak out, like Jennette McCurdy, who wrote an entire novel discussing the horrifying truths of childhood fame that many others experienced.

I have found myself guilty of enjoying these 'momfluencers' and their daily posts about their kid's clothes, conversations, and funny moments. Some parents take it so far as posting their vulnerable moments too, like the tantrums and emotional experiences. It can be difficult to see this concept as an issue from an overview, and the intent of most of the influencers is typically not evil, just oblivious. Because for the most part, the concept is innocent. Most people watch the video, give it a like, maybe leave a kind comment, and carry on. But as the saying goes, one bad apple spoils the bunch. 

Some anonymous accounts have left inappropriate comments on these posts, or made entire accounts essentially worshiping these babies existence. One of the most infamous accounts is @wren.eleanor, a 3-year-old girl whose mother seems to blatantly ignore the outcry of users attempting to put a stop to the girls potential exploitation. TikTok users also began to realize the harm this could cause for these children's futures and started voicing their concerns through post of their own. Much like the childhood actors, these children face various potential consequences as they grow older. This constant posting creates a non-consensual digital footprint that, for many of them, will be nearly impossible to erase due to their millions of followers.

This outcry has led to numerous accounts putting a halt to the posts of their children, removing old ones, and spreading awareness about the dangers of using your children for fame. Maia Knight was one of the most popular of these accounts, with almost nine million followers, to make the change. Some people were enraged about Knight's removal of her daughter's faces, even going so far as to call them "our" babies, but she says the change is for their safety. These angry reactions are small examples of why she had to make that choice, and plenty of followers support her choice.

While this issue is widespread, the consumers of TikTok have used their platforms to spread awareness and make change. So, even in the midst of these major privacy concerns, the power of change is possible and visible through social media.