‘It’s hard to stop scrolling’: What Irish teens are watching on TikTok

What harmful content are young people viewing when they open the app?

Listen | 27:08
Teens on TikTok - what they see and what do they make of it? Illustatration: Conor Merriman
Teens on TikTok - what they see and what do they make of it? Illustatration: Conor Merriman

From cute dance videos to antifeminist and racist ones, the social media app is a growing part of young people’s lives. There are concerns, though, about sleep deprivation, mental health, attention span – and the messages these young teenagers they are being relentlessly fed.

'TikTok keeps me up all night’: Ireland’s teenagers on their relationship with the social media appOpens in new window ]

Irish Times parenting columnist Jen Hogan and journalist Patrick Freyne spent time with a group of teenagers, looking over their shoulder as they scrolled for hours on TikTok and talked to them about their relationship with the Chinese-owned app. They explain to In the News just how out of touch adults are when it comes to children’s online activity.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison is an Irish Times journalist and cohost of In the News podcast