If you have a child on TikTok, you need to know about the new way predators are grooming kids and how to protect them.

App Store Description: “TikTok is a global video community. We make it easy for you to watch awesome short videos AND you can also make your own videos by capturing those funny and memorable moments to share with the world. Spice up your videos with our special effects filters, fun stickers, and so much more. Life’s moving fast, so make every second count.”

So, what is happening? Over the past three weeks, I’ve been hearing about children being groomed by an online sugar daddy. What is a TikTok Sugar daddy? It goes something like this: An adult finds a cute kid on TikTok, privately messages them, and offers to send them money via Venmo for a custom video. The initial offer is very innocent. They may ask the child to send them a video of the child singing a song, playing an instrument, or performing a dance move for ten dollars. They money is then sent to a child’s Venmo account. After a while, with money regularly rolling in, the requests turn sexual. The “sugar daddy” asks for the child to sing a song in their underwear, or less, for more money.

How to Keep Your Kids Safe

Should my child have this app?

If your child is under the age of 13, then NO. The minimum age to have an account is 13-years-old. Based on my experience, I would wait until your child is 16-years-old before letting them use it.

Parental Controls

TikTok has some parental controls. If your ...