Anonymous TikTok bullying accounts
Anonymous TikTok accounts invite students to send in nasty messages about classmates, which the account owner reposts, so a school's teens can be publicly humiliated in front of hundreds of viewers.
Should I worry?
The risk is that a teen is named, insulted or outed in posts that hundreds of schoolmates can see, with the author hidden. Kids who already feel isolated can be hit hardest. Warning signs: sudden reluctance to go to school, distress after checking their phone, withdrawal from friends, or anxiety about what is being said. If your teen is named, stay calm, save screenshots and tell the school, which can act on cyberintimidation among its students. You can also report the account and its posts to TikTok. Let your teen know it is not their fault.
How to join in
These pages work like an anonymous gossip wall: someone invites classmates to send in messages, and the owner reposts them without naming the sender. Some teens are drawn by the attention, the drama or the feeling of safety in anonymity, and some send things they would never say face to face. A way in is to ask your teen whether they have seen accounts about their school and how people react to them, without asking them to name anyone.
Try saying
“I heard some accounts invite students to trash-talk classmates anonymously. Have you seen anything like that at your school? If you ever see your name or a friend's on one, you can tell me, you won't be in trouble and we'll figure it out together.”
If you’re worried
If your teen is in immediate danger, call 911. If they seem very low or mention hurting themselves, call or text 988 right away. Kids Help Phone is also available to young people at 1-800-668-6868, or by texting 686868.
Sources
From Mistlift, mistlift.app. Plain talk about what kids are into online.