More Skin, More Likes! Measuring Child Exposure and User Engagement on TikTok

Abstract

Sharenting, the practice of parents sharing content about their children on social media platforms, has become increasingly common, raising concerns about children's privacy and safety online. This study investigates children's exposure on TikTok, offering a detailed examination of the platform's content and associated comments. Analyzing 432,178 comments across 5,896 videos from 115 user accounts featuring children, we categorize content into Family, Fashion, and Sports. Our analysis highlights potential risks, such as inappropriate comments or contact offers, with a focus on appearance-based comments. Notably, 21% of comments relate to visual appearance. Additionally, 19.57% of videos depict children in revealing clothing, such as swimwear or bare midriffs, attracting significantly more appearance-based comments and likes than videos featuring fully clothed children, although this trend does not extend to downloads. These findings underscore the need for heightened awareness and protective measures to safeguard children's privacy and well-being in the digital age.