TikTok launches e-safe video series

Safety online doesn’t have to mean creativity and fun are compromised and TikTok are keen to maintain their community’s freedom to experiment and to be quirky and authentic but doing it safely.

On Tuesday 9 February, TikTok will host an event with the eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, streaming LIVE on TikTok. Starting at 7pm AEDT on Safer Internet Day via the @TikTok_Australia account, the Commissioner will be interacting with well-known Australian creators like as @flexmami, @drcody_dc and @mama_mila_ as they discuss key issues in the online safety space and how to have more positive experiences online.

The company has collaborated with the Alannah & Madeline Foundation to produce a series of videos ‘Get Media Smart’ that shine a spotlight on the 'must-know' tips to help navigate misinformation and give practical tips for safer use of online platforms.

The six TikTok videos feature popular local TikTok creators, @rifenstine and @sakshammagic, and playfully bring to life scenarios that everyday Aussies may encounter as they use the internet and platforms like TikTok.
The "Get Media Smart" series encourages Australians to practice smart and safe online behaviours, to be confident to seek help when needed and have the power to stop the spread of misinformation by reporting and skipping the ‘like’ or ‘share’.

The Alannah & Madeline Foundation’s eSmart Media Literacy Lab is worth a look. A gamified education resource for teachers and students aged 12-16 it draws on the foundation’s extensive experience managing online threats to kids.

The six-part "Get Media Smart" series covers a range of topics and guides:

• Video #1 - "Verify the Source" asks users to find out who is authoring the content that they see.
• Video #2 -"Not Interested" shows users that they can control what they see.
• Video #3 - "Fact vs. Opinion" helps users determine whether statements are expressing truths or beliefs.
• Video #4 - "Question the visuals" challenges the TikTok community to analyse the visual images they come across.
• Video #5 - "Challenge Your Bias" reminds users to consider how their experiences influence what they believe.
• Video #6 - "Calling Out Fakes" encourages users to reflect on whether the content they want to share, should be shared.

In the past few of months, Tik Tok has changed the default TikTok privacy setting for all registered accounts under the age of 16 to private, refreshed Community Guidelines, took action on COVID-19 misinformation, and updated the Family Pairing feature.

The series launches on the @TikTok_Australia account on the 9th, rolling out through the week, and will be accessible to secondary school teachers in the Foundation's eSmart Media Literacy Lab.

"As our platform grows, it's vital that we continue to take a proactive stance on online safety education on Safer Internet Day, and all year-round. It's been an honour to partner with respected leaders in online safety in Australia to create a fresh, fun and informative content program that discusses staying safe online in ways that Aussies - from our younger users, through to their parents - can really engage with in an entertaining way. We're excited to launch our Safer Internet Day program and hope that it becomes a valuable conversation starter and useful tool for our community." said Lee Hunter, General Manager, TikTok Australia and New Zealand