A new study is showing that the popular app, TikTok, is portraying a positive image of vaping to teenagers. Even if parents are not big fans of social media, it is important for them to be aware of what is going on in the technological world. That is because, chances are, their children are on it and it is likely a big part of their lives. Technology and the internet can be great resources for anyone, they offer information and a chance for connection, but there is always going to be things that need to be monitored by parents.
According to Study Finds, a new study is showing that TikTok may be painting vaping in a positive light to teenagers and this can be concerning. TikTok is one of the most popular apps right now, and there are not a lot of teenagers who are not on this app.
A new study was done by researchers from Queensland University, and it can be read in full here. The study shows that there is a lot of content on TikTok that shows vaping as being “cool.” The researchers stated that if a teenager spends too much time on the app, it can reinforce a positive attitude about vaping and e-cigarettes to them.
The researchers looked at 808 videos in a small sample, and they found that the videos that portrayed vaping in a positive way had over 1 billion views, which was 63% of the total videos. When they looked for videos that showed vaping in a negative way, it accounted for only 13% of the videos. A further 27% showed them in a neutral way. The researchers also discovered that there were no age restrictions on the app when it came to vaping videos, and they are calling for stricter measures to be placed on the app to control who sees this type of content.
This is a concern because the rates of youth who are vaping is growing at a rapid rate. Some may wonder how TikTok allows such videos, and they looked deeper into the community guidelines that the app upholds. Their guidelines prohibit controlled and illegal substances, and they do not allow ads for alcohol and tobacco, but legal substances can be seen in videos. Study authors stated that the vaping videos show it being used in a lighthearted and fun way, and do not include any information about the possible health risks that are attached.
Sources: Study Finds, BMJ Journals