National PTA is aware of public reporting that suggests possible threats to schools today, Friday, Dec. 17. Currently, PTA does not have any information indicating any specific, credible threats.
As you know, National PTA has a formal relationship with some social networking companies, like TikTok, through our PTA Connected initiative. This relationship gives us the opportunity to have direct, productive conversations so we can both deliver feedback and receive information.
This afternoon, we reached out to our partners to obtain more information about this particular social media rumor that has been widely reported by the media. TikTok responded to let us know that they have found no evidence of these threats on their platform, nor is there any “challenge” related to these threats.
However, TikTok also mentioned they have aggressively investigated their platform and remain alert to potential threats. Additionally, TikTok has coordinated with law enforcement officials, who have confirmed no credible threats have been reported to date.
TikTok previously commissioned third-party research on dangerous challenges and hoaxes and worked with experts to develop best practices to help stop hoaxes from being perpetuated. We encourage you to share this information to help educators and families assess viral warnings—including hoaxes—and report content to TikTok.
We also want to make you aware of the TikTok Guide for Parents we created with TikTok, as it contains critical information about the parental controls available to families on the platform as well as important digital safety information. We urge all families and caregivers to have open and ongoing conversations about digital safety and etiquette to ensure children are using technology responsibly.
Here is how to report content you believe may violate TikTok’s Community Guidelines so that the app’s safety team can review your report and take appropriate action. To report a video:
- Long-press (also known as press-and-hold) on the video
- Look for the pop-up and select ‘report’
- Choose the appropriate policy
- Tap ‘submit’
You can visit TikTok’s Support Page to learn more about reporting.
Thank you for all you are doing to support PTA’s mission and to ensure that families have timely resources and information. We appreciate your diligence and hard work to keep our children safe.
Disclosure: TikTok is a Proud National PTA Sponsor. National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product or service.