TikTok’s new Youth Council is encouraging, empowering, and elevating student voices
Did you know that 25% of TikTok users are students from 10-19 years old? As a large portion of the platform’s users, student voices are one of the most powerful tools when it comes to creating change on the platform. That’s why TikTok is introducing a new measure to help build a safer platform for its largest user base: a global Youth Council. Later this year, TikTok plans to launch the Youth Council where they will listen to student voices and make changes to the app that are effective, adequate, and relevant.
By amplifying student voices and leveraging their insights, TikTok is recognizing the invaluable role student users play in designing effective strategies to address online challenges. No one knows what students need online better than themselves. By encouraging, empowering, and elevating their voices, we can help create a world where students use social media and tech in ways that foster their health, happiness, and success.
TikTok announces formation of a Youth Council among concerns over app use & mental health
On June 27, 2023, TikTok announced the formation of a global Youth Council, another step the app will take to build a safer platform for students. They hope that by listening to students’ experiences, they will be able to avoid designing student “safety solutions that may be ineffective or inadequate.” With insights directly from student users, TikTok hopes to become better equipped to represent students’ safety and well-being needs.
This announcement comes at a time when TikTok has come under fire for its potentially negative impact on students. A study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate revealed that TikTok pushed potentially harmful content about body image and mental health to student users every 39 seconds on average. TikTok has attempted to make the app safer for students with screen time limits and a content filtration tool, which can be used to help strike a balance on the app and control what kinds of videos users can see.
Though these are great efforts to create a safer space for students, there is no tool more powerful than student voices.
TSI’s Take
Students know what they need online more than anyone else. When their voices are overlooked, we lose out on valuable insights about student experiences with social media and technology. As educators, it’s crucial to recognize and value their perspectives, give them the tools and support they need to speak up and empower them to actively contribute to a positive online culture.
You can empower your students to speak up about what they would like to see on social media by encouraging them to:
- Get involved with initiatives that are focused on amplifying student voices when it comes to social media and tech, like our TSI Student Ambassador program
- Share their experiences, concerns, and suggestions online to advocate for positive change within the online community
- Participate in surveys, polls, or feedback sessions conducted by social media platforms to provide input on features, policies, and improvements
Student voices are key when it comes to understanding their online needs, so we gathered insights from nearly 23,000 students nationwide and compiled these findings into The 2023 Social Student Report, an E-book that schools are using to make informed decisions around addressing student well-being, building stronger school communities, and equipping students to make healthy decisions.
Always stay up-to-date with the latest and greatest trends online by subscribing to our newsletter where we talk about trending tech and social media news weekly! In the meantime, check out our Instagram and TikTok @thesocialinst for tips, trends, and highlights when it comes to social media.