Introduction
Public schools remain the most common way of acquiring junior and high school education in the United States and the Bronx in particular. According to the 2021 report, there are 174 schools in the Bronx, and 21 are private (n.a., 2021). The number of students is 209.916, with 63% ethnically Hispanic, 27% Black African Americans, 5% Asian or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islanders, 4% White, 1% Native Americans, and 1% are multiracial (Nysed.com, 2020). It is important to note that 182.627 (87%) students are economically disadvantaged, and 85224 students attend high school (Nysed.com, 2020). Hence, although the public schools are diverse, dominant ethnical groups constitute the majority of students in the Bronx. One of the common characteristics for most students is modern technology and social media. Despite both the positive and negative effects of TikTok, in can be used to a benefit of junior and high school students.
About TikTok
Among all the established social media such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, TikTok is relatively new as it was created in September, 2016. It is especially popular among the younger generation, particularly junior and high school students. TikTok functions as a mobile app where users can watch and upload short videos. The app’s simplicity quickly caught viewers attention, and its algorithms create an immersive or even addictive experience. Therefore, TikTok became a platform that initiates trends as more than 2.3 billion all-time downloads and 1.5 billion active monthly users (Literat, 2021). The app’s content is diverse, which appeals to the broadest scope of audiences of various ages and interests. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the positive and negative effects of the app on junior and high school students.
Why it is Important
TikTok provides exposure to a broad audience of its users. Personality traits, body image, interests and styles are presented to the junior and high school students, influencing their own identities. The formation of identity remains one of the most challenging tasks that most adolescents grapple with. Although identity formation takes place throughout an individual’s lifetime, adolescence is the period that nearly all people start to question themselves about how their lives may be affected by their identities. According to Van Doeselaar, McLean, Meeus, Denissen and Klimstra (2019), people are always bothered by identity formation in adolescence because it is the period in which we are much more self-conscious of the changes in our identities. By definition, identity formation refers to the conscious reexamination of an individual’s behaviours, thoughts, feelings, and values. Identity formation, therefore, is the process of developing a new personality.
Negative Effects
There is a number of issues with TikTok, which make parents and educators worldwide concerned. First, the platform exposes teenagers to mature content, which influences children’s body image. As such, provocative dances and looks are some of the most popular types of videos on TikTok. The negative effect of such content is that it distracts teenagers that are in the process of forming their sexuality and project unrealistic body image. In addition, predators, who can easily contact young users and bully, harass or threaten them, can use the exposure on social media (Literat, 2021). However, there are ways to limit the potential negative effect of TikTok. First, creating a personal account that is private and does not allow strangers to comment or message the user. Such measure protects teenagers from being bullied or contacted by predators.
Secondly, TikTok is designed to be addicting with its non-stop timeline, which constantly offers new content. Viral videos are designed to grab viewers’ attention, which increases the overall usage of the smartphone by junior and high school students. Machine-learning technology personalizes the discovery page, which tracks users’ preferences and offers new videos based on the tastes and interests of the viewer. TikTok can be used as a platform for bullying as teenagers may create videos that are targeted to make fun of other students, or some might get bullied for making their TikTok videos.
Positive Effects
There are positive aspects that make TikTok an exceptional platform, which can be used for educational purposes. The application promotes various diverse content, which also includes topics that directly relate to the subjects such as history, literature, math, biology, languages, etc. Hence, TikTok may increase students’ knowledge and interest in school subjects (Literat, 2021). Besides, the app fosters creativity and imagination among its users, which is why it is so appealing to the young audience. This creates an opportunity for schools to engage its students in creative activities such as plays or video contests.
Conclusion
Social media have become integrated into modern society at all levels. Nevertheless, the industry develops new apps and platforms, such as TikTok, which create new digital environments. Hence, schools and parents should be aware of the negative and positive effects that social media have on junior and high school students. Adolescents who struggle through their developmental stage may experience adverse effects of the platform, such as bullying. Therefore, adults must ensure that students are aware and protected from the possible risks. On the other hand, by embracing the positive aspects of TikTok, students engagement and interest in school subjects might be achieved.
References
Literat, I. (2021). “Teachers Act Like We’re Robots”: TikTok as a Window Into Youth Experiences of Online Learning During COVID-19. AERA Open, 7, 2332858421995537.
n.a. (2021) High Schools in Bronx, NY. high-schools.com Web.
NYSED.com (2020). Bronx County Public School Enrollment (2019 – 20). Web.
Van Doeselaar, L., McLean, K. C., Meeus, W., Denissen, J. J., & Klimstra, T. A. (2019). Adolescents’ identity formation: Linking the narrative and the dual-cycle approach. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 1-18.