TOLEDO, Ohio — U.S. lawmakers questioned the CEO of TikTok during a congressional hearing Thursday about data security and harmful content as the app faces a potential nationwide ban. The short-form video app, owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance, has already been banned by federal agencies and many states, including Ohio, over concerns of personal information and other sensitive data being shared with the Chinese government.
But one Toledo-area TikToker and educator said many social media apps, not just TikTok, require users and parents of youths to be selective and take measures to ensure the content they see is safe.
Katie Peters, the communications director for Washington Local Schools, has gained over 100,000 followers on the platform after she started posting content for students during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said it was a challenge to motivate the school district's hundreds of students through a computer screen during remote learning, so in exchange for the kids' attention, Peters learned a new dance the kids gave her each week.
While she initially used her account to connect with students, she now uses it to spread positive messages to parents, other educators and families
"There's a lot of really intelligent professionals offering their advice and discourse on there that we all can learn from," she said. "It's just a matter of deciphering what is the good stuff versus the bad stuff."
Peters is aware that herself and other WLS faculty can't control everything on TikTok, but she hopes to spread the message of love, self-worth and values to her students with her videos.
"I think it just comes down to people being selective about what they offer, about what they share and about what they ingest when they're on social media apps," Peters said.