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PTA Connected



National PTA + TikTok

As part of our PTA Connected initiative, National PTA has teamed up with TikTok to help parents learn more about how their teens are using this highly popular social video sharing app, educate families about safety on the app and guide parents in having open, ongoing conversations with their teens to ensure they are using social media productively and responsibly.

TikTok

About TikTok


TikTok is one of the fastest growing apps today, allowing users to post, share and discover short 15 - 60 second videos. Think karaoke for the digital age, with plenty of humor thrown in. People like TikTok because the platform has built a community that encourages users to express themselves creatively and authentically. Whether it's dance, free-style or performance, creators are encouraged to let their imagination run wild.

Before you create an account, we encourage you to check out the tips on using TikTok’s safety features and other preferences in the TikTok Tips for Parents guide that PTA collaborated on with TikTok to create for our PTA Connected program. Following the tips in this guide is a great way to ensure your account has the features you want for your profile.

Tips for Parents

For example, the “For You” feed is a great way to explore new videos, but with the wide diversity of content on the app, sometimes you might feel bogged down with videos that aren't quite to your taste. You can configure features and preferences that let you keep videos you don't enjoy off of your For You feed. This will help you shape what your content consumption experience looks like on TikTok.

As with any social media application, you can take charge of curating your experience, and your teen’s experience. When you create an account, TikTok will “age gate” you into content that matches how old you are. This is why it is critically important for parents to talk with their kids before allowing them to create an account, and to sit with them to make sure they use the appropriate information when they first log in.



Common Online Scenarios

Being good digital citizens starts with us! We suggest that you do some roleplaying with your teen to help them navigate their social media experience. Parents and teens can work collaboratively to design a skit on the best way to react if the scenarios listed below were to happen to them.

Online Scenario Family Video Challenge 


Families can use these flashcards to work collaboratively to design a skit of the best way to react if the scenarios listed below were to happen to them. This activity gives parents and teens a chance to practice their online safety and digital wellbeing skills by working out the best way to respond IRL (in real life). Read through the scenarios together and discuss what would be the way you would want to respond or react.

Under the scenario is an associated safety video with an example of how you can handle that specific situation. We challenge you to create your own safety videos. If you do, we would love to see it! Make sure you tag @NationalPTA and that you use #AlwaysLearning and #PTAConnected.

When you see your friend being bullied in the comments online:
@tiktoktips

TikTok is a safe space. Remove all hate speech and harassment. ☮️

♬ original sound - tiktoktips
When you get a follow request from someone you don't know:
@tiktoktips

You can decide who can watch your videos. 👀

♬ original sound - tiktoktips


When you notice that your friend has their birthdate and home address in their bio:
@tiktoktips

Keep your bio sweet and simple, for privacy's sake. 🔒

♬ original sound - tiktoktips
When you notice a fellow user seems upset and posted something sad:
@tiktoktips

We’re on a mission to promote positive vibes. ☀️

♬ original sound - tiktoktips


When you can't put your phone down at dinner:
@tiktoktips

Control how much time you can spend online. 🕓

♬ original sound - tiktoktips


Planning Toolkit

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, our TikTok event toolkit helped PTAs facilitate in-person gatherings. We are preserving this toolkit below, and we hope to resume use of it when the Center for Disease Control advises that conditions are safe for group gatherings to resume.

Visit The SmartTalk Conversation page for information on how your PTA can provide online safety programs at home. 

Planning
Promoting
Hosting
Wrap Up


National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product, or service. No endorsement of TikTok is implied.