Earlier this year, TikTok announced in a press release that the company will be releasing two new features to their content creation app in order to promote kindness and decrease cyberbullying throughout their platform. 

The first feature gives creators the ability to manage the comments section of their videos. Users have the option to hide, delete, or block comments for others to see. This feature will allow for more respectful discussion and less spam and offensive remarks. 

Director of Policy for TikTok United States, Tara Wadhwa, wrote in a blog announcement, “We know that comments are an important way for community members to connect with creators, and we’ll continue to develop ways to promote respectful discussion.”

The second new feature prompts users to reconsider their hurtful comments by redirecting them to TikTok’s community guidelines page. The community guidelines act as a code of conduct for users to abide by in order for everyone to enjoy their experience on the app. Both features are centered on the comments section, where the company has seen cyber bullying efforts the most. 

Also in the press release, TikTok announced that they will be partnering with the Cyberbullying Research Center (CRC), an organization dedicated to researching cyberbullying trends in adolescents. TikTok’s goal in the partnership is to become more well-versed on the dangers of cyberbullying within their app, and to create a safe, supportive community for users to enjoy. 

“The Cyberbullying Research Center is excited to work with TikTok in the months ahead on anti-bullying initiatives,” Co-Director Dr. Sameer Hinduja stated in the press release. “TikTok’s new features are positive steps to promote kindness and we’re eager to collaborate on further ways to protect against bullying and harassment.”

In an effort to educate users on cyberbullying, the CRC released the article, “TikTok: Top Ten Tips for Teens.” Some suggestions include setting personal TikTok accounts to private, reporting problematic videos, and staying in control of the TikToks that you are reacting with and enjoying. Understanding the hidden dangers of social media media applications is a vital tool in safely navigating different platforms.

Social media is still a new form of communication that researchers are navigating daily. Companies are taking precautions and implementing policies to create safe, positive communities. It is important that users understand the dangers of social media to their overall mental health and well-being.

Social media gives us the power to connect with others and share talents like never before. However, the journal of JAMA Psychiatry found that, “Adolescents who use social media more than three hours per day may be at heightened risk of mental health problems, particularly internalizing problems.”

According to the Wallaroo Media, individuals ages 16-24 make up 60 percent of TikTok’s total population. This specific group is easily influenced and are much more likely to follow the trends that they see on their “For You Page”.

When asked how TikTok, in particular, has affected her mental health, Sonoma State student Rachel Beckmann said, “TikTok is the app I use to decompress after a long day of school and work, it helps me escape reality for a small bit of time.”

TikTok has the power to create a sense of community and foster laughs for everyone; their continuous efforts in maintaining a positive platform is vital to the well-being of their users.