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Mom Alerts Other Parents About Popular Music App After Tween Daughter Receives Disturbing Messages
While you might trust your kids to handle technology responsibly, there’s no guarantee that everyone else will. A concerned mom, Lisa Thompson, recently shared a chilling encounter her daughter had while using the widely popular app, musical.ly. “I’m eating a hefty slice of humble pie today and changing my mind about musical.ly,” she confessed. “It wasn’t just the cringe-worthy hand gestures or the endless loops of catchy songs that ended her musical journey; it was discovering that she had switched her account to public, deleted critical comments, and received this unsettling message in her ‘people you don’t know’ inbox.”
Musical.ly, now part of TikTok, is a social media platform where users create and share 15-second videos of themselves lip-syncing to their favorite tunes. Think of it as a cross between Lip Sync Battle and Instagram. The app is aimed at users aged 13 and older, but that doesn’t stop messages like the one her daughter received from making any parent cringe.
Lisa knew it was crucial to monitor her daughter’s online activity. “Honestly, I was primarily worried about trolls and bullies,” she shared. “I set some ground rules: no personal information, not even her real first name; no swearing, even in lip-syncs; private account only; and she had to let me approve any friend requests.” She also prohibited her daughter from using the live broadcast feature.
However, kids and rules sometimes don’t mix. Lisa’s daughter adjusted her privacy settings, allowing the disturbing messages to slip through, although she usually does a good job of reporting inappropriate content. “I found the message eventually, but she often comes to me saying things like, ‘Mom! Someone just used a bad word!’” Lisa admitted. “I take the blame for not warning her more directly about creeps lurking online.”
Like many parents, Lisa struggles to find the right balance between informing her daughter about potential dangers without instilling unnecessary fear. “I genuinely want to teach her to be safe but not live in constant worry,” she explained.
Unfortunately, Lisa isn’t alone. Another parent discovered messages sent to his eight-year-old daughter from a boy claiming she was “too pretty to be single” and “got me feeling naughty.”
Even if a child’s account is private, there are risks. Kids can still use the app’s search feature, leading them to explicit lyrics or accounts featuring inappropriate content. “Every time you give your child access to social media, there’s an element of risk,” Lisa noted. “I did my homework because I knew my daughter loved performing, and I wanted her to engage creatively online.” For a while, she was pleased with the app, as her daughter created funny clips.
However, the app has since been removed from her daughter’s phone, and there was surprisingly no pushback. “She knew she broke the rules by making her account public and deleting comments, so she didn’t even argue,” Lisa said. While they’ve begun discussing the incident, there’s still more to cover. “Kids always want to know the ‘why,’ and at her age, saying ‘People can be shady’ just doesn’t cut it. We need to talk more about how some people online have bad intentions.”
It’s frustrating to think we have to worry about these things when our kids just want to have fun. Lisa emphasizes the importance of knowing your children and staying aware of their online activities. “I trust parents to make the right judgments for their kids, but I urge everyone to stay vigilant in monitoring their online behavior.” For more tips on staying informed, check out this excellent resource for pregnancy and home insemination.
In conclusion, while it’s essential to encourage creativity and social interaction among kids, parents must also stay alert to the potential dangers lurking online.