From CNET: As if parenting isn't hard enough already, here's another thing to worry about. If your teens join TikTok, they could be served damaging content about self-harm, suicidal ideation and eating disorders within minutes, according to a report released Wednesday.
Researchers working for the Center for Countering Digital Hate posed as 13-year-olds who were establishing new accounts on the platform and they recorded the first 30 minutes of content that TikTok's For You Page -- a home feed that quickly learns and adapts to your content preferences -- served up to them.
One new account was served content relating to suicide within 2.6 minutes, whereas another was served eating disorder content within eight minutes, researchers said. On average, they were served content relating to mental health and body image every 39 seconds, they said in the study, which hasn't been peer reviewed.
"Parents worry about who their kids are spending time with, what sort of things they're listening to, but actually because of these apps, which they have no insight into, it could be anyone," CCDH CEO Imran Ahmed told journalists during a briefing Tuesday. "Frankly, having TikTok babysit your kids is a terrible idea because of the way that these algorithms work."
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