Why Schools should say no to tiktok
“Should we be on TikTok?” Is the question lots of school shave been asking over the past few years. I’ve heard various voices in education nudge schools toward joining the platform’s vibrant, scrolling world. But as a school governor, a mum of four, someone who works in the digital world for schools AND has used social media all my adult life, here are my thoughts on why prep schools should steer clear of TikTok - and why even senior schools might want to reconsider.
Everything in schools comes down to safeguarding. Does it risk our children’s safety? Could it expose them to bullying or harmful content? Might it damage their mental or physical well-being? With TikTok, the answer to all these is a loud “yes.” Its algorithm is a master at targeting and captivating pre-teens and teens into a spiral of such content. While platforms like Instagram or X have their own flaws, they don’t trap young attention spans with the same ferocity, and they’re certainly not as popular within this demographic. TikTok’s video-only, endlessly scrolling format is famously addictive, and its weaker content controls make it a hotspot for inappropriate material. It’s no wonder it’s a favourite for 16-25-year-olds, and that over half of 3-17 year olds were reported to have used the platform back in 2021. Most alarmingly, it has also become a prime platform for those wishing to harm our children.
It is fundamentally parents to whom schools ought to appeal, so it is paramount that we listen to what parents want for their children. The Smartphone Free Childhood movement, backed by 100s of thousands of UK parents, is a rallying cry for less screen exposure for under 16s. Parents are fed up with apps like TikTok and Snapchat stealing their children’s focus, mental health, and innocence - starting not at 16, but often as young as 11. They’re pushing schools to go smartphone free, at least during the school day. For Prep schools to hop on this platform - or worse, involve under-13s in making trending videos in the name of great metrics - feels like a step backward. It’s not just complicit; it’s out of tune with what an increasing number of Pre-Prep and Prep parents - millennial parents for the most part - crave for their children: a childhood less tethered to screens.
We are, however, an agency who has built a strong reputation in doing social media for schools well. Social media in general is a powerhouse for reaching prospective parents. With billions of users globally, it’s a cornerstone of school marketing, and we’ve seen it work wonders for clients. TikTok’s reach and engagement stats are dazzling, thanks to its slick algorithm showing viewers exactly what keeps them hooked. For prep schools, though, the question isn’t “can it bring enquiries?” It might, but the question should instead be, “it is appropriate for us to be on there at all?” Our Prep school pupils shouldn’t even be on TikTok (the official sign up age is 13) yet some schools consider not just joining but involving young pupils in content creation for the sake of “high engagement.” That feels off, when parents are pleading for the opposite, and when we know “they shouldn’t really be on there, but they are”.
I often hear senior schools say, “We want to be on TikTok for our sixth formers.” It’s true that 16-25-year-olds dominate the platform, and many of them help pick their sixth forms. It seems logical, but I’d argue it’s still shaky ground for schools. Parents of younger teens (and even some older ones) are increasingly anti-screen for their children, and jumping on TikTok could look like exploiting a space we know isn’t great for teens, all to get a few extra views. Our real audience is the parents, not the pupils, and they’re watching us closely to see if our school’s actions - and therefore our values - align with theirs.
Social media’s downsides, like poor mental health, cyberbullying and ready access to unsuitable content, are well-documented - and TikTok often leads the pack. Other platforms aren’t innocent, but they are primarily aimed at, and most actively used by, ages 18+. They don’t zero-in on pre-teens and teens with the same intensity. Prep schools should be champions of childhood, not cheerleaders for an app that’s ensnaring children before they’re developmentally ready to handle it.
Ultimately, parents decide what apps their children use, but schools have a duty to prioritise safeguarding. TikTok’s impressive metrics might be tempting, but protecting our pupils’ well-being trumps any likes, views or follows. So we’ll keep connecting with families in a way that feels good for our school clients’ brands, and for their prospective parents and pupils - on platforms aimed at grown-ups; not their children.
If you want support with your social media marketing from an independent company that does things differently - we’d love to chat! Book a quick 15-mins call with us here.