How to Spot and Stop Cyberbullying on TikTok

Even on the most popular platforms focused on fun and entertainment like TikTok, you can still find cyberbullying. Whether you use this popular media sharing site or have children or teens who do, it is essential to learn how to spot these types of bully attacks so that you can take effective steps stop it. Cyberbullying continues to grow as a modern problem that affects all ages and, unfortunately, no space online is completely safe.

Signs of TikTok Cyberbullying

Indications that someone is experiencing cyberbullying on TikTok are virtually the same as anywhere else. Increased anxiety, discomfort, avoidance of posting new content and social interaction, and changes in mood and habits off-line all occur in these situations. If you are a parent or guardian of someone who enjoys posting fun clips on this popular site, take an interest in the content they share. Also track whether they lose interest or make negative comments about the experience. Remind your teen that you are available to help them navigate difficult situations if they need it.

Cyberbullying happens most frequently in the follower comments on this media-sharing website. Some toxic people will insult content creators directly in obvious and hurtful ways. Others will make what are called fairy comments that may sound like compliments to begin with but actually end up being quite mean. These types of veiled attacks are just as damaging as blatant cruelty.

Suggestions to Stop Cyberbullying on TikTok

This popular social platform has its own anti-bullying suggestions that every user and their parent or guardian should become familiar with. The tools they provide for privacy and controlling who has access to an account are a great line of defense against negativity and harassment.

Make your account private if it is already not set up that way. Because TikTok is frequently used by people under the age of sixteen, those profiles are automatically private for protection sake. Unfortunately, the default for people over sixteen is a public profile. You can switch it yourself whenever you want.

Use the privacy settings to only allow direct messages from people you know and trust. You can use the same options for the Duet and Stitch features. These allow fun collaboration but can open the door to cyberbullying if not controlled carefully. Removing followers and blocking accounts is another way to avoid bad behavior. You can even automatically set the TikTok comments you receive to filter out offensive keywords or phrases that you do not want to see.

It is impossible to avoid all cyberbullying behavior no matter what platform you spend your time on. Once you know how to spot it and identify the negative behaviors, you have a much better opportunity to stop trolls and mean people from affecting you and how other people view your content. TikTok offers multiple options to limit public exposure and to report people who get through the protection with the intent to cause harm. Take advantage of every tool possible and always remember that cyberbullying is never the victim's fault.