TikTok's return creates controversy among parents, schools and local organizations
TikTok is back for many users like it never left and experts, school districts and local organizations are weighing in.
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TikTok is back for many users like it never left.
"TikTok for me, has been a very positive experience, very positive community," says A.J. Chiarella, with the 914 Collective.
"I think children have too much time on the internet. It's not good," says Kathleen Godfrey, a Yonkers resident.
One Hudson Valley school district expressed concerns over the return of the app, saying it's a distraction in the classroom.
"If there was a ban, there was one less then, clearly that would be one less thing we need to worry about," says Raymond Sanchez, Tarrytown Schools superintendent.
Sanchez has been working with a task force to help with appropriate use of cellphones and social media at school.
He says they're seeing better results, but there's still more to be done.
"I, along with others, continue to educate students on the challenges, in this case, TikTok or other platforms might present to our kids," he says.
A local social media expert agrees.
"Do you want to give any one company that much power over you? I would like people to look at the reaction they had to TikTok being gone only for a few hours," says Kris Ruby, president of Ruby Media Group.
But some say they're excited to see the app working again, especially as it's a way they connect with the community.
"It's given a lot of people opportunity, myself included to just to communicate messages," says Chiarella.
Chiarella says he uses TikTok to posts about local businesses and people in Westchester. He says it would be disappointing to see the app gone forever and that there's steps parents can take if they're concerned.
"If you're a parent, there's ways to mitigate those distractions," he says. "There's ways to give your kids an allotted amount of time on certain things."
