Some practical steps to combat dangerous trends from TikTok

2024-10-27 09:40:00, Sociale CNA

In today's society, influenced by social media, the lure of online trends can often lead to actions with dangerous consequences.

During the last month, at least in two municipalities of Kosovo - Kamenica and Gjakovë - students of some primary schools, inspired by some videos on TikTok, have self-harmed.

For similar cases, Radio Evropa e Lire also reported in June - at that time in schools in Fushë Kosova and Lipjan.

"These cases will not go away by themselves, if they are not addressed", says psychologist Aliriza Arënliu.

But how?

Measures of educational institutions

In Gjakova, students have been banned from using phones at school, Eranda Kumnova - Baçi, head of the Directorate for Education in this municipality, tells Radio Evropa e Lire.

According to her, urgent meetings of teachers and management staff, together with parents of students, were held in all schools of the municipality. Officials of the Kosovo Police were also present.

"... to talk to parents and tell them to have more control over their children and their use of social networks. We know that the thread of this 'game' started from social networks", says Kumnova - Baçi.

Some practical steps to combat dangerous trends from TikTok

According to her, it is about at least 22 students who self-harmed in some elementary schools in Gjakova, earlier this month.

"From the medical examinations, there are cases where they have self-harmed only in their hands, but there are also cases where they have self-harmed in other parts of the body," she says.

In Kamenica, the parents of elementary students were also called to the meeting.

The head of the Directorate for Education in this municipality, Afrim Dervishi, says that the "dangerous games" of students on the Internet have raised the alarm.

"It was a kind of competition, through which they wanted to prove who could stay the longest without breathing", says Dervishi, adding that about 20 students participated in this kind of challenge.

"The role and function that parents can perform to eliminate these phenomena are inevitable," he says.

Radio Free Europe has tried to get in touch with parents of any self-injured children, but without success.

Kumnova - Baçi and Dervishi say that the measures taken by them are in accordance with the Administrative Instruction: Education for child protection.

Drafted by the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation of Kosovo (MASHTI), this instruction entered into force in August of this year.

The purpose of this instruction is said to be "determining the roles, organization, operation, cooperation, tasks and responsibilities for all educational and training institutions in child protection education".

Asked by Radio Free Europe about the effectiveness of this instruction, MESTI said that, currently, the staff of this ministry is holding information sessions with the municipalities, regarding how to implement the documents in force.

"So far, the sessions have been held in: Pejë, Gjakovë, Mitrovica, Klinë, Prishtina, Lipjan, Shtime and we will continue these days in the municipalities of: Fushë Kosovë, Graçanicë, Obiliq, Kamenica, Rahovec, Suharekë, Vushtrri, Istog, Gjilan, until we cover them all", says MESTI's response.

There, it is also emphasized that through education for protection, the aim is to train children and students "for good and healthy behaviors, at every level and circumstance, as well as avoiding conflicts, dangers, both virtual and real".

Some practical steps to combat dangerous trends from TikTok

MESTI, earlier, also drafted the guide package "Journey through the Internet" for students, parents and teachers, which offers "alternatives to use the Internet in a useful and responsible way".

Recently, this ministry announced that it has allocated a budget for more than 500 new positions for psychologists, pedagogues and support staff for schools in Kosovo.

Approach to the problem

Psychologist Arënliu, professor at the University of Pristina, says that only hiring psychologists and pedagogues does not solve the problem of students who may be victims of dangerous challenges from social networks.

"People who work in the field need programs, they need systematic interventions, they need training. This is the part where we get stuck", says Arënliu for Radio Free Europe.

According to him, it is imperative that mental health challenges are addressed in schools, while educational curricula are adapted to the needs of children for media education.

Alban Zeneli, a professor at the University of Pristina, says that the Department of Journalism of this institution has been advocating since 2009 that the Media Education course should become mandatory in Kosovo's schools.

According to him, MESTI's guidelines regarding the use of the Internet have more to do with the technical aspect of its use, than with understanding the risks that arise from different platforms.

"These things are specifically taught in Media Education... It would help children going through the learning process to be aware of the content they see, develop critical thinking about the content and at the same time not fall prey of these challenges or problems that hurt them, not only in the physical sense", says Zeneli for Radio Free Europe.

Added control or removal of TikTok

For sociologist Jeton Brajshori, parents should take the situation into their own hands - at least until competent institutions find effective mechanisms to prevent the influence of harmful content from social networks.

According to him, the increased parental control over children's access to social networks and the Internet in general does not harm their right to privacy.

Some practical steps to combat dangerous trends from TikTok

"I tell all parents that a child under the age of 18 does not need to have strict privacy. We are not saying that they should be checked for everything, but to be very careful, what they watch on TikTok, who they hang out with...", says Brajshori for Radio Free Europe.

He even suggests that TikTok be removed from children's phones entirely.

The technology engineer in Kosovo, Ermal Sadiku, expresses a similar opinion.

He says that the content published on TikTok is less controllable, compared to other social networks, which have global use.

Children's access to this platform increases the risk that they will be affected by harmful content, according to him.

Speaking to Radio Free Europe, he explains that most smartphones have a module called "parental control", which allows parents to limit their children's time on various internet applications.

But the use of this module, says Sadiku, is problematic for parents who have no knowledge of technology.

He suggests the method he says he practices himself:

"I, personally, do not allow my children to have such an application installed on their phone. It's not like they have any benefits, TikTok has no educational, scientific content... I'm talking about children".

TikTok has over 1.5 billion monthly active users worldwide.

It is estimated that about 25 percent of them are between 10 and 19 years old.

In June of this year, the Government of Kosovo banned the use of TikTok in public institutions, due to, as has been said, the cyber risks that this platform presents.

Restrictions to this platform, due to security concerns, have also been imposed by other countries in the world./ REL